Seasons of Chances and Love 1: Classic Love In Spring
by Linnea Farhen
Summary: Tezuka/OC. "I need to make sure you're okay… that you're not going anywhere. That you're not going to leave me again. I don't want to lose you again like that. I'll stay with you like this if that would ease your fear of losing me in any way at all. You're not going to lose me if you will promise me that I won't lose you again..."
1. Tezuka-Kazumi: Classic Love In Spring 1

**This is—technically—my first fanfic for Prince of Tennis even though I have another POT fanfic which was a crossover to Detective Conan so I don't really consider it my first fanfic for this anime. You can read it, if you want and if you have time. Anyway, I'm not exactly sure on how this story will appeal to the readers but I still need to try. By the way, this story might have a possible OOC. This is my first attempt on TezukaxOC. Please leave your review if you have time or if you have any suggestions for future stories. Okay?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis and its characters. I only own the OC of this story.**

**-x-x-**

**CHAPTER 1**

"Welcome back to Japan, Kazumi-_sama_," a portly middle-aged woman greeted me with a smile as she opened the door of that house—or should I say a house turned into a memorial hall after my grandfather died eight years ago—after I did a few knocking. I only smiled a little wide when I heard her gladness to see my finally returning to my hometown. Oh well. At least someone was glad to see me.

That's right. I went away from my hometown for two years. Those two years, however, only intensified the feeling of loss that I had when the person important to me disappeared from my life completely. I didn't run away. But still, it didn't change the fact that I hurt him when I decided to leave. I was hurt, too. But then I guess he would never know that at all.

_**Love comes, love goes,**_**  
><em>But a sudden feeling never lets me be<em>**

"Are you going to stay here in Japan permanently, Kazumi-_sama_?"

"Maybe. I can't really tell since being a pianist is already my profession even though I just graduated from middle school. But I'll study here until I graduated high school. Dad want me to finish schooling here in my hometown, after all," I answered before looking around the house. I smiled when I realized that there haven't been any changes done in that house.

_**Somehow, I know, **_**  
><em>Quite a part of me isn't changed since you've been gone<em>**

Though I have to admit, that realization alone made me remember a lot of memories with him in it. After all, that house held moments that I knew I would forever treasure here in my heart. Weird, right? But for me, it wasn't weird at all. This house held too much memories that only I could probably remember now.

"Would it be okay if I roam around the house for a bit before I go home?"

The woman nodded and proceeded to go somewhere. And just like what I said, I roamed the house. But I didn't have any plans of roaming the entire house. There was only one place I would like to go—a place where I could probably convey my message to him even though I knew he wouldn't hear me at all.

_**Like a sturdy tree that's seen a thousand seasons**_**  
><em>I've to she'd my leaves in winter <em>  
><em>And grow them back in spring<em>**

I went up to the second floor of the house. My feet seemed to have a mind on its own as it led me to a certain room familiar to me.

My grandfather's piano room.

My grandfather Hondou Renji was a renowned pianist during his time. Eight years ago, he died of lung cancer. Because of his fame and his contributions to the music industry, his house was turned into a memorial hall. Even though I was really young when he died, I knew and I could feel that he loved me so much. My talent as a pianist was already a proof of that.

When I reached the piano room, I just stopped in front of it. I didn't move an inch. I couldn't tell why. I just wanted to see the piano room but why couldn't my body let me do so? As I closed my eyes and leaned my forehead on the piano room's closed door, a memory started rushing in my mind.

A memory that started all my dreams when I was in elementary…

_**To welcome life again**_**  
><em>To welcome you<em>**

**-x-x-**

"_Mama, what was __Ojii-chan_ like when he was still alive? Of course, besides that fact that he's a really good pianist," I asked while going to the piano room that my granfather used to stay and play his favorite classical songs.__

_But before my mother could answer, I saw a boy standing outside the piano room while looking at the grand piano inside. I could tell that since he was facing straight / heads on, not sidewards. The piano—from what I could tell from his position—was just on the line of his sight. That piano room was already open for the guests but this boy wasn't even moving from his spot. Was he scared?_

_Then I faced my mother. "Mama, can I talk to him for a while? I think he's scared to enter the piano room," I said as I pointed at the brown-haired boy._

"_I think you should. I don't want the others to believe that a ghost exists in that room," my mother whispered and I smiled before making towards the boy._

_I didn't know why but I really have this urge inside of my to approach that boy. His hair and his stature made me feel like I was being pulled to him. All those weird feeling because of a boy… Take note, I haven't even seen his face yet._

_And yet…_

_I was already standing behind the boy without me knowing it. Did I walk towards him unconsciously? No, that wasn't the reason. I knew it. But how come I couldn't even remember how long I walked towards him? Weird me._

"_Umm… Do you want to enter the piano room?" I asked since I needed to break the slightly eerie silence surrounding that place. _

_The boy seemed to have been startled when I did that so he turned around and faced me. My eyes slightly widened at the sight of that beautiful dark brown eyes of the boy now looking at me. Wow! I thought his hair was the only thing beautiful about him. Turned out I was wrong._

"_I can't enter," the boy said that broke my trance (thankfully) before I could even act weirder than what I was doing now. Wait, was being in a trance because of a cute appearance of a boy considered weird?_

_Can't enter? What was that supposed to mean? But I never realized that I uttered those words before I knew it._

"_I can't enter… because I want to play the piano but I need to ask permission to someone first," he replied with a slight blush on his face while he averted his gaze from me._

_He looked cute with that expression that I couldn't help but to giggle. This was the first time I saw a blushing boy._

"_You know, I could let you play the piano but you're not going to use the grand piano in the middle of that room," I suggested with a smile. "We'll use the uprright piano west of the room. By the way, what's your name?"_

"_Tezuka Kunimitsu," he answered._

_I laid my hand in front of him as I said, "I'm Hondou Kazumi. You can call me Kazumi or Kazu-chan. But never call me in my family name. I hate it when they always connect me to my dead grandfather whom I can't even remember the face. I was only little when he died. Okay?"_

_Though I saw him quite surprised, I also saw that Tezuka managed to recover from that soon enough. _"_I guess I'll go with Kazu-chan," he said as we shook hands. His hand was soft and has warmth that I haven't felt before. It was weird but… I liked it._

_After that, we headed inside the piano room and played some classical music using the upright piano I mentioned earlier. That piano was my grandfather's gift to me when I was three years old—hoping that one day I could play it in front of him. It only happened once, though. But my grandfather was really happy to see me play it. And now, I could see Tezuka Kunimitsu happy as we both played it._

_But never did I realize that this simple meeting would eventually become a reason to change something about my life. And I knew he was going to be a part of it._

_After that, I learned that he liked playing tennis. There was a tennis court near the memorial hall where he would always practice. Everytime I saw him play there, I would play musical pieces from either Mozart or Chopin. Those music started our friendship, after all. But then time had passed when I realized why I loved playing the piano whenever I see him playing tennis._

_Weeks… Months… A few years… I have been looking at Tezuka—I call him Kuu as an endearment the same was he called me Kazu-chan—more than usual. We studied at the same school and at the same classroom. Academically, we looked like competing but both of us knew we were not. Only those other students thought we were. But that wasn't the issue here. My heart would flutter and beat crazily fast like ten horses chased me every time I looked at him. I felt like I couldn't breath._

_I thought it would go on forever—that I won't be able to realize what was going on with me whenever he was beside me and whenever I see him do the things he loved happily. Okay… He might not be showing that he was happy but I knew that he was happy. I could feel it._

_And one December, I finally figured out the answer. I was in love with him. We were both at our sixth grade that time. I knew we were still young that time but I knew it in my heart—and I knew my heart better than anything. And I could feel that I would never be able to encounter something like this for twice in my life. Only Kuu could make me feel like this._

_But then a year after that, I needed to freeze everything I feel about him for me to fulfill my dying father's dream for me. We were both attending Seigaku at that time, both of us in our first year but in different classrooms so no one actually knew we were close friends._

"_Kazu-chan, you don't mean that, do you?" Tezuka asked me one September night. His voice has tinge of disbelief and pain—things I didn't even want to hear from him._

_He was hurt, I knew it. But what could I possibly do? I couldn't just disappoint my father. Forget the fact that he was dying and all I could do for him was to fulfill his dream for me before he died. But for me to do that, I needed to leave those people important to me. It was the only way… no matter how much it would hurt me in the process._

"_I mean it, Kuu. I have to leave this place first thing tomorrow morning. And I thought I should let you know about it first before I leave," I said without even looking at him. I couldn't do it, especially now I knew he was hurt._

"_What about your promise to me? You promised me, didn't you? That you would never leave me and you would stay by my side. You're just going to forget about it?"_

"_NO! I don't have that intention, okay? There's no way I could forget about it. But Kuu, please try to understand. I don't have any choice. I need to do this. I'm—" But then he cut me off._

"_Don't! Don't you dare say you're sorry!" he suddenly blurted out that surprised me. Then all of a sudden, the atmosphere around us became tensed. I could feel that he was somehow emitting a dangerous aura with hints of frustration and pain. I couldn't help but to feel scared. This was the first time I saw him like this._

_I was about to approach him when he spoke coldly—cold enough to create an imaginary icicle that stabbed my heart. Yes, the pain I felt in my heart when he spoke coldly was exactly like that._

"_If you want to leave then I won't stop you. But when you do, don't expect me to wait for you. So it wouldn't be hard for both of us, try to forget everything about me. That way, you won't have a hard time moving on. I'll do the same thing. It would be easier… that way…" Tezuka said coldly. But then as he said it, it was slowly turning from cold as ice to just a pained whisper, especially the last sentence. Without a word, he turned around and left me there in a hurry._

_I couldn't move. His words froze me on that spot. I was standing there for nearly thirty minutes before I realized that my tears fell… hard. I was hurt to the core of my being. Why? Why did everything between us has to turn to this? I never meant to let it end that way. I just didn't want to disappoint my father because I loved him._

_But then I guess I succeeded in a way—even if it means I terribly disappointed the one person who captured my heart for the first time and yet in the end, tore it apart to pieces in a single instant…_

**-x-x-**

_**So goes, my life**_**  
><em>Still believe in dreams of having you around<em>**

My tears incessantly fell even after remembering that. Until now, it still hurt me knowing I disappointed Kuu. That past remained inside of me for the past two years. No one knew that. And no one has to know.

When I looked around, that was when I realized where I was. I couldn't believe I entered my grandfather's piano room without me knowing it. I was probably too engorssed in remembering the memory that I didn't know what I was doing.

_**Too bad, memories feed the mind and not the heart **_**  
><em>Where I want you to be<em>**

I looked around the room after completely regaining my composure. But I couldn't stop my tears from falling no matter what I do. Every corner of that room reminded me of him and I could see his different expressions that I wanted to see once again—his serious face, his stoic face, his blushing face, his panicking face and most of all, his smiling face which I think you could only see once in a blue moon. And by now, he must have forgotten about me—just like what he said to me two years ago.

I sat in front of my grandfather's grand piano and tried playing it. I smiled when I heard the tune coming from it. It looked like the piano was maintained to be in tune after all this time. It was still the same as I remember it.

_**So I ask myself what you've left behind for me **_**  
><em>To go on each day and live as if<em>  
><em>I have you once again<em>**

I wasn't sure what had gotten into me. Before I knew it, my fingers were moving expertly on its own as I play one of Frederic Chopin's pieces on my grandfather's piano (the one entitled _Nocturne op. 9 no. 2 in E-flat major_). Though I wanted to stop playing, my hand—and most importantly my heart—wouldn't let me do so. There was this voice inside of me saying that I shouldn't stop. This was the only way for me to convey my bottled-up feelings for him, the voice was saying.

All this time, I never had a chance to tell him how much I loved him—not just as a friend but more than that. But I guess he would never know that, huh? Even though I returned to the place where we first met, it only made me realize and feel the distance that separated us before had gone even wider than how I used to see it. It made me feel like I would never be able to reach him now.

But then, I was still hoping this song would reach him…

…Tezuka Kunimitsu… my Kuu…

…my eternal love…

_**What else is there that's real**_**  
><em>But all the pain that I feel<em>**

**-x-x-**

Tezuka halted to a stop upon hearing an extremely familiar classical music being played in that house. When he faced the house after looking around, that was when he realized that his feet led him to the Hondou Renji Memorial Hall. But who could be playing a Chopin piece at this time?

The music was undoubtedly beautiful—as beautiful as the brown-haired girl he fell in love with for the first time. But Kazumi didn't know that. He never had a chance to tell her that at all. And now she was gone. It was too late.

_**So let the pain remain**_**  
><em>Forever in my heart<em>  
><em>For every throb it brings is one more moment <em>  
><em>Spent with you<em>**

But even though it was late, he never gave up. He lied to her two years ago. And that lie was enough for him to suffer. He didn't mean to utter those words to her but he was hurt that she was leaving him that time. He knew she was hurt, too. He just couldn't see it. He was blinded for some reason so he said that it was over and he would forget her. That way, it wouldn't be hard for him to move on. It would be easier that way, he even added. But he completely knew that it was a blatant lie.

He never moved on for he couldn't do so. How could he? Kazumi was the very first person who captured his heart and made his life beautiful that he even once thought he was dreaming. Until now, he couldn't forget her and his dream of reuniting with her one day. Their worlds had become wide apart for a long time after she left but he would try to do something to reach her.

He would do it… no matter what it takes…

_**I let the pain, bring on the rain **_**  
><em>If that's the only way<em>**

"I'm sorry, Kazumi. Please… Please come back to me…" he whispered inaudibly as he looked at the second floor window on the right where the piano room was. His eyes have longing in them as he looked at it. How he wished he could say those words to her personally. He wished for it since the day she left.

He wanted her to come back to him. He wanted to be with her again. This time, he swore he would never let her go.

"Tezuka, is there something wrong?" Oishi asked; his voice has obvious hints of concern in it.

He looked at Oishi with his usual stoic face despite the fact that the vice-captain startled him and disrupted the flow of his thoughts. When he turned around, that was when he realized that Fuji and Inui were him him, as well. Right now, they were looking at him with confusion and concern.

"Nothing," was all he said before he started walking away from that place. At the same time, the music stopped playing that made him sigh.

_**If there's no other way **_**  
><em>To be with you again<em>**

Little did he know, a maiden was crying in front of that piano…

She was crying… then she sobbed…

Kazumi missed Tezuka so much that she couldn't take it anymore. She stopped playing the piano to let her tears fall once again…

"I'm sorry, Kuu…" she whispered as she cried silently.

The gently blowing wind somehow carried away that pained and regretful whisper…

…carried it to let Tezuka hear for the first time after two long years…

And heard it he did, causing him to stop to his tracks once more. Soon after that, he looked up to the window on the left of the second floor. He couldn't possibly be imagining things, right? What he had heard… They weren't just illusions or hallucinations or maybe even simply the idea that he was about to go crazy, right?

Just what in the world was happening to him now, of all times? Could a song really trigger this so much emotions he had reined inside his heart for so long to show up? Did he really miss Kazumi that much that a song currently playing made everything around him stop? It was just a song, for goodness' sake! It was just a combination of melody, harmony, rhythm, timing and tempo…

But who was he fooling, anyway? It wasn't just a mere song with no meaning at all. Her songs… The way she played them onto the piano with a sweet smile on her lips… The satisfaction that was in her eyes whenever she was done playing it eloquently… He could still remember them. Everything was clear in his mind after all this time. Kazumi was the only girl who never left his heart at all.

_**So goes, my life**_**  
><em>Still believe in dreams of having you around<em>  
><em>Too bad, memories feed the mind and not the heart <em>  
><em>Where I want you to be,<em>  
><em>So I ask myself what you've left behind for me <em>  
><em>To go on each day and live as if<em>  
><em>I have you once again<em>  
><em>What else is there that's real<em>  
><em>But all the pain that I feel<em>**

Forever and beyond that.. He knew every memory that has something to do with Kazumi would never leave him.

From now on… till beyond eternity…

Just like what he had promised to himself in secret that one night…

**-x-x-**

_**July 7th, Tanabata (Star Festival)…**_

_It was the first time Tezuka and Kazumi would celebrate Tanabata together. And to top it all, it was also the first time he would see her wear a yukata. It would be a wonderful sight, indeed. Or at least, that's what he thought._

_"Kuu!"_

_From where he and his family were standing at, he heard that angelic voice calling out to him. It didn't take him long enough to know who it was. After all, only one person had actually called him Kuu in his lifetime… by far. He turned around with a small smile on his face—a habit that he had seemed to develop ever since that girl became his friend—only to have that smile fade away at the sight of the person approaching him. Slowly, though he didn't realize it, he gaped at the sight._

_Kazumi was surely a vision in her elegantly-tailored yukata. It was light blue in color with a pastel pink obi sash tied around her waist. Her yukata has sakura flowers as its design all over. Her hair wasn't braided like what she used to wear. This time, she donned a pastel pink-colored hair bow with its excess extending to her waist. Looking at her like that, she was indeed an enthralling vision to see._

_One that he wouldn't stop doing, of that he was sure of._

_"Hmm… I can see she's a beautiful girl. No wonder our Kunimitsu here is speechless now that he saw her wearing a beautiful yukata."_

_The teasing words of his mother and the snicker filled with amusement of his grandfather somehow broke him off from his trance as he continued to watch Kazumi approach him along with her parents. He chose to ignore his family's teasing about what had just happened a while back._

_"I'm glad you made it here, Kuu," Kazumi said with a smile even though she was slightly panting in order to even out her breath from running a while ago._

_With a smile, he replied, "I made a promise to you, didn't i? A promise is a promise."_

_Though she was slightly surprised for a few seconds, it was soon replaced with another sweet smile. He noticed it all and because of that, he couldn't help but to smile even more, as well. It was like her smile was a contagious disease._

_"Why don't you two hang out together first? You can meet us near the ice cream stand over there once you're done," Tezuka's mother Ayana suggested as she pointed to the aforementioned place. He looked at the place then to Kazumi._

_"Are you sure?" Kazumi asked with slight worry._

_"It's okay. I know my way around here," he said in order to assure her, with the intention of at least easing her worry. And somehow, it worked. He sighed in relief. After that, he held out his hand. "Let's go?"_

_Kazumi looked at his hand for a few seconds before she took it and smiled at him once again. Yes, he was aware that Kazumi—the dark-brown haired girl wearing a wonderfully made yukata and standing in front of him now—was so beautiful in her own way that it made him blush somehow. But that alone was enough for him to be aware of another feeling._

_It was his heart—which was pounding wildly as it does now—that gave of that feeling. Every time Kazumi would smile at him like that without a care in the world except for the two of them, his heart felt like hammering inside his chest like crazy. Of course, he was oblivious as to what it actually meant._

_But he knew one thing about that weird feeling, though. It was surely going to change his life for good._

_"Now this is a touching scene to watch," he heard from one of the adults (not only sure who) followed by a flash and a click._

_He was startled at that and so he rashly faced the adults since they were the only ones who could pull off such tricks at the moment. To his slight surprise and annoyance, his mother was actually holding a Polaroid camera. They were just waiting for the picture to be developed from the camera. Sly smiles soon formed on the lips of the adults (namely Kazumi's parents, his parents and his grandfather) as soon as the picture came out and in clear color that only fueled his annoyance._

_"What's with that smile on your faces like you're about to commit something that's obviously not good?" Tezuka asked as he raised his eyebrow._

_"Don't be like that, Kuu. Adults can sometimes act like kids, especially at this point, you know," Kazumi pointed out. But he knew that she couldn't believe how the adults were acting at the moment. Or at least that was what he could see on her expression. "Just let them. It's not like they could tease us like this much longer."_

_He frowned the moment he heard that and let the thought finally registered in his mind. "What do you mean?"_

_But no words came out of the girl's mouth. Instead, surprise filled him as Kazumi held his hand and without a word, ran away from the adults who were still looking at the picture developed from the Polaroid camera. He didn't have a chance to look at their faces since the girl was still dragging him away from there. And he was amazed at the fact that Kazumi has the strength to pull him away like that, as if she was just pulling a cart._

_"Oi, Kazu-chan, where are we going?" he tried asking but he didn't get any answer. They just continued to ran away. But as he allowed her to do that, he couldn't help looking at Kazumi's hand holding his. Not just that, he couldn't help feeling its softness and warmth, as well. And because of that, he smiled even though they were running. _

_Finally, they halted to a stop underneath a large tree when they felt they couldn't run anymore. Both of them were panting heavily with their hands on their knees as they tried to even out their breath._

_"I… I haven't ran like that… for a long time now…" Kazumi said despite trying to even out her breath the fastest time possible._

_As soon as she was done saying that, he looked at her intently. Why does he have this weird feeling that her words had other meanings to it? But how was he supposed to know that?_

_"What's wrong, Kuu? You're spacing out."_

_Tezuka blinked several times upon hearing that. He smiled as soon as he recovered from his deep thoughts. "Nothing's wrong." And then he looked around the area before looking up to the sky filled with stars. "So I guess this is what you wanted to show me."_

_Kazumi looked up, as well and smiled. "That's right. I saw this spot two days ago with my mother. I said to myself that I want the two of us to see this place more than anything. This is the place where I made an important promise, after all."_

_"An important promise?"_

_She nodded. Soon after, she looked at him. "Ne, Kuu… Would it be okay if I ask you something foolish? Of course, you can say no if you don't want to hear it."_

_"What about it?" were the words that came out of his mouth long before he could think of what to say._

_"Are you even glad… that you met me?" she asked in a soft tone._

_Her eyes widened upon hearing that. Now what came over her to even ask something like that to him? Was he glad he had met her? It wasn't a tricky question. As it was, the question was really simple. But it was a deep one, too. In any way he answered it could change a lot between him and Kazumi. He doesn't know how but a change could definitely happen._

_"Of course, I'm glad that I met you, Kazu-chan," he answered with a gentle smile. A smile he rarely show to anyone. He could only show it to Kazumi, especially now that he answered her question as honest as he could. "What about you? Did you… even regret you met me?"_

_"Hey, are you trying to do reverse psychology here? You could have asked the same question that I asked a while back, you know."_

_"At least I tried to change it. To make it a bit original," he responded straight._

_"Oh, really? You're so gloomy," she muttered as she pouted. But after that, her face was serious. "I guess I could say you're the one who asked a foolish question instead of the other way around."_

_"Huh?" Seriously, this girl could confuse him sometimes._

_"But you know—" she continued. "— regretting something like meeting you was definitely one thing I had never ever felt in my life. The day I met you in that piano room and played Chopin's Nocturne in front of you, it was one of the days I considered truly memorable and also one that I'd forever cherish here in my heart. So don't you ever dare think that I would regret meeting you." She smiled as she looked at him. "Okay?"_

_And sometimes, Tezuka thought, this girl could give him lots of surprises with just her words. But even so, he was glad at the answer he got from Kazumi. Too glad, in fact that he felt his heart swelled with so much joy and gladness. Weird… It was a different kind of gladness that he usually felt while playing tennis._

_"I'll be with you, Kuu… forever… It's my promise," she soon said as she looked up to the night sky. "This is definitely one of the best Tanabata I'd ever celebrated."_

_Another smile soon formed on his face as he heard that. He chose not to say a word even though he totally agreed to what she said. He didn't usually enjoy Tanabata before. This was the first time that Tanabata was something so memorable to him._

_Always and forever… Words that were synonymous to each other yet their meanings were immense._

_Always… Forever… Eternity…_

_Besides tennis, only those words seemed to have a big impact to him. So big that he knew it wouldn't leave his mind—and more importantly, his heart—no matter what._

_Underneath the starry night sky that one special night—on July 7th, the day of the Tanabata—Tezuka made a promise. He peered at the unknowing Kazumi who was still looking up to the sky with a smile. Everything about this girl beside him right now was something he would never dare forget. Whatever happens, he would make sure of that._

_For this girl named Hondou Kazumi was the one he knew now that had left a deep mark in this heart—a mark that could never be removed even throughout the crosscurrents of fate and time…_

**-x-x-**

And now, it seemed that he had managed to keep that promise. Kazumi never left his memory and his heart despite the hurt that he had felt ever since she left. He knew he had hurt Kazumi, too. The words he said could never be retracted. He couldn't go back in time and fix it.

But he has to fix it. If God would allow and give him a chance, he would never let it go. He has to do what he could to bring Kazumi back to his life… back to his side. He just needed the chance so he could do that.

_**So let the pain remain**_**  
><em>Forever in my heart<em>  
><em>For every throb it brings is one more moment <em>  
><em>Spent with you,<em>  
><em>I let the pain, bring on the rain <em>  
><em>If that's the only way<em>  
><em>If there's no other way <em>  
><em>To be with you again<em>**

"Tezuka, are you sure you're alright?" Oishi couldn't help but to ask that. Being the worrywart he ever was, it was a natural thing for him to do. The only thing that wasn't natural in his perception was the fact that Tezuka was actually staring at the left window on the second floor of the memorial hall with his eyes showing emotions. Longing, regret, sadness and pain were the most evident of them all.

Something about the memorial hall and the music earlier triggered those emotions to show itself. Emotions that were so unbearable for Tezuka and now he couldn't rein it in any longer. Oishi, Fuji and Inui all thought about that.

A heavy sigh was the only reply they got from Tezuka. Soon after that, they heard the stoic man utter some words. But they were surprised to hear a name that Tezuka mentioned in front of them—albeit unconsciously—for the first time in two years.

"Kazumi…" Tezuka uttered rather sadly.

_**So let the pain remain**_**  
><em>Forever in my heart<em>  
><em>For every throb it brings is one more moment <em>  
><em>Spent with you,<em>  
><em>I let the pain, bring on the rain <em>  
><em>If that's the only way<em>  
><em>If there's no other way<em>**

One thing those three could tell, that girl named Kazumi was someone who must have the ability to bring out Tezuka's bottled up emotions. Only Kazumi could trigger those emotions to show efortlessly.

Just who in the world was this Kazumi that Tezuka mentioned?

_**If that's the only way**_**  
><em>If there's no other way <em>  
><em>To be with you again<em>**

**-x-x-**

**I'm not sure about the ending but I still hope you like it. By the way, the song featured here is entitled "Let The Pain Remain" by Side A. It's an OPM song (as far as I know) so I guess only a few could relate to it. But it's in English so I guess you could still listen to it. This is one of my favorite love song... despite how sad the message of it. **

**Please read and review ^_^**


	2. Tezuka-Kazumi: Classic Love In Spring 2

**Warning: Characters might not be in their usual selves; in other words, possible OOC.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis and its characters. I only own the story plot and the OC/s of this story.**

-x-x-

**CHAPTER TWO**

_**And what if I never kiss your lips again**_

_**Or feel the touch of your sweet embrace**_

_**How would I ever go on**_

_**Without you there's no place to belong**_

_Sorry…_ A seemingly simple five-letter word. It was easy to say this because sometimes, you didn't really mean it. But when you do, that's where the struggle starts.

My struggle about this word started upon enrolling to Seigaku. I was already in first year high school and it was a good thing I managed to catch up on the enrollment before the enrollment days were over. Another good thing was that only a few people could recognize me as the fairly famous pianist abroad, Hondou Kazumi. One of those few people was Miyuzaki Kana, my childhood friend.

Of course, I still considered **_him_** as my childhood friend. Or at least, he was to me…

"Kazu-_chan_, do you have any plans for today?" Kana asked me as soon as the class was over and the teacher finally left the room.

I faced her while fixing my notebook into my bag. "I need to head to the memorial hall to fix some things there. Besides, Mama's coming home tonight so I need to do some preparations in her return from the tour."

Just like my grandfather, my mother was also a famous musician—an exceptional violinist and cellist, to be exact. Recently, she was having a tour all over Japan along with some other musicians since she decided to do a charity concert in order for her to build a music school on one of our adopted orphanages. She was doing it to fulfill one of my deceased father's dreams—to convey our family's way of music to others who were aiming to become a wonderful musician.

"Is that so?"

Sorry, Kana. I had to create that lie. Well, there was one part of what I said that happened to be true. I do need to head to the memorial hall. But not because I have to fix some things. There was another reason that I couldn't exactly tell her. Not yet.

_**Well someday love is gonna lead you back to me**_

_**But 'til it does I'll have an empty heart**_

_**So I'll just have to believe**_

_**Somewhere out there you thinking of me**_

After I was done fixing my things, I left the classroom at my usual pace. But as soon as I opened the door, I saw a tall guy with auburn hair who looked awfully familiar walked past in front of me. His face was stoic and he wore eyeglasses. For some reason, time had stopped moving in my perspective after that. When I finally regained my composure, it was when I saw that the person that walked past me was already a few steps away from me. Our distance grew further apart as he walked away.

I could only see the back of that person. But the hair style and the way he walked… Why do I have a feeling that I've seen it from somewhere a long time ago? I looked at the person as he continued to walk away. He was carrying a tennis bag so I figured that he was going to the tennis courts since he might be a tennis player.

I blinked when I realized that thought. Wait a minute! Tennis? I shook my head when **_that person_** appeared in my mind. Why would he appear in my mind right now, of all times? Well, it wasn't that I don't want to think about him. But because of the person who walked past me, I couldn't help thinking about him.

_**Until the day I'll let you go**_

_**Until we say our next hello**_

_**It's not goodbye**_

_**'Til I see you again**_

After heaving a few sighs, I headed the other way. I saw a guy running towards the person that I saw a while back. I think his name was… Oishi. Well, I have to blame Kana for letting me remember his name since he was Kana's crush. But I didn't have anything to do with him, anyway.

Or at least, that was what I initially thought…

…until I heard Oishi called out an extremely familiar name that made me stop to my tracks and stand there frozen. Not to mention, I couldn't even breathe because of my heart beating at an accelerated rate.

"Tezuka!"

Wait… That was a joke… wasn't it?

He didn't just call out Tezuka, right? But my ears had definitely heard it. I knew I was awake but why did I feel like I've suddenly stood in a world that could only exist in my dreams? A world where I could be able to cross paths with Tezuka Kunimitsu again…

_**I'll be right here remembering when**_

_**And if time is on our side**_

_**There will be no tears to cry**_

_**On down the road**_

_**There is one thing I can't deny**_

_**It's not goodbye**_

But then, I needed to confirm it. I didn't want to think I was just hearing things all because I missed him so much. So I slowly turned around and peered behind me. What I saw made me think that my heart had definitely stopped from beating.

It was the guy I saw who walked past me a while ago. That explained why I felt something… unexplainable and yet familiar. The feeling I've felt a while back—now I know why and where it came from.

It really was Tezuka Kunimitsu—it was Kuu… I could never mistake that appearance for someone else.

But before I could even think of what else to do, I ran away from that place so I could leave. I wasn't thinking properly after that. All I knew, my feet took me to the place special to me—to my grandfather's memorial hall.

Right now, that was the only place where I could burst it all out. I didn't do that when I saw him because I was unsure. I had a lot of questions inside my head that I wanted to tell him. But just like what happened two years ago, I cowered.

I was always weak when Kuu was involved. I just realized that right now. How pathetic of me.

_**You'd think I'd be strong enough to make it through**_

_**And rise above when the rain falls down**_

_**But it's so hard to be strong**_

_**When you've been missin' somebody so long**_

I was snapped out from my musings when my phone suddenly rang. I took it out from my pocket and I saw that it was a call from Kana. I decided to answer it since I didn't want my friend to worry about me. She probably saw me suddenly running away.

"Hello?" I asked as I tried not to let my voice quiver.

"Kazu-_chan_, are you alright?" Kana asked me back in an extremely concerned tone.

"I'm fine, Kana-_chan_. I just… suddenly remembered something that I need to do in a hurry so I ran," I lied. No matter how bad it was to lie, I just had to do it.

"While crying? You can't fool me with that answer, Kazu-_chan_. You ran away after you peered at Tezuka-_san_ with tears flowing on your cheeks. Is there something you're not telling me?"

That was when I unconsciously touched my cheeks and my eyes widened when I felt it. It was wet. Had I been crying while running and without knowing it? But why?

When I looked around, I saw myself standing in front of the memorial hall. Two days ago, I went here just as soon as I arrived from the airport. Seriously, why did my feet keep on leading my here? I knew this place was extremely special not just to me but to my family, as well. Although I wasn't sure if it was extremely special to him, too…

_**It's just a matter of time I'm sure**_

_**But time takes time and I can't hold on**_

_**So won't you try as hard as you can**_

_**To put my broken heart together again**_

"Kazu-_chan_…"

I was startled when I heard Kana's voice on the other line. Oh, yeah… I forgot that I was still talking to her over the phone.

"I'll be fine, Kana-_chan_…" I answered. But this time, I failed in hiding the quiver in my voice. In fact, it started to crack as soon as I remembered Kuu's face as how I saw it a while ago.

Even though I haven't seen him in two years, why did he still have such effect on me? I just saw him—a mere glance, at the very least—and yet, I broke down like this. It made me feel like I went back to the time when Kuu said that he would forget about me. It made me feel as if I was going to break down completely.

"Do you want me to have sleepover with you? That way, you can tell me about what's bothering you personally," Kana suggested, concern was still in her voice.

"No…" I mumbled but I guess she still heard it. I heaved a few deep breaths first before I spoke again. "Kana-_chan_, would it be okay if I ask you something?"

"If that would ease your mind, it's okay."

I thought about the question that I was about to ask her carefully for a while before I finally had the courage to say it. "Have you ever made one big mistake in your life that you desperately wanted to undo even if it means giving it all for that to happen?"

Kana went quiet for a little while before she spoke. "I know I made a lot of mistakes in life that I wanted to undo because it changes me in a way. But Kazu-_chan_, we don't have that kind of ability. Yes, we have the tendency to wish for it since it tore us apart in some way. But if you're going to ask for my opinion, I think the only way for us to undo what we have done—especially if we made a mistake to a special someone in our lives—is to say 'sorry' to that person. Though I have to admit, 'sorry' is one of the hardest words to say aside from 'I love you' and 'goodbye'—especially if you really meant those words," Kana said to me seriously.

I knew she could have this kind of moment. But as I thought about what she said to me, I realized that she has a point. "Sorry", "I love you" and "goodbye" were definitely some of the hardest words to say. I never said those words in front of Kuu the day I left Japan. And I guess I would never be able to do so.

"Kazu-_chan_, did something happen between you and Tezuka-_san_ that I didn't know?"

_**Until the day I'll let you go**_

_**Until we say our next hello**_

_**It's not goodbye**_

_**'Til I see you again**_

_**I'll be right here rememberin' when**_

It took me a while to think about her question and if I should answer it. But in the end, I decided to keep it a secret even to my childhood friend.

"You'll know in time, Kana-_chan_…" I only said, almost in a whisper before I ended the call and turned off my phone.

Time will come… and they would know the hidden truth…

**-x-x-**

_**And if time is on our side**_

_**There will be no tears to cry**_

_**On down the road**_

_**There is one thing I can't deny**_

_**It's not goodbye**_

I tried to act normal these past six days. Well, at least normal to those people who didn't really know me at all. But to my childhood friend, I was definitely acting weirder than my first day of school. Of course, she could tell that. Aside from Kuu, Kana was one of the people who could read me like an open book or a clear mirror.

Those past six day had made me do a lot of thinking about Kuu—or maybe I should call him Tezuka-_san_ now since we weren't that close anymore. Everytime I looked at him from afar, I could really feel that he was extremely far away from me. We were living in a completely different world now. I would never be able to reach him now even if I communicate to him through the use of music.

But that one particular day made me want to do something. Of course, I would be needing Kana's help since Tezuka didn't really have any idea at all (or at least that's what I know of) that I was studying here at Seigaku's high school division. I was in a different class, anyway.

After the bell rang that said about the end of that day's last class, I called Kana's attention who was currently talking to one of our classmates and also a friend of mine, Yamazaki Hanako.

"What's wrong?" Kana asked after Hanako left the room to proceed to her afternoon tennis practice.

"Can I ask you a favor?" And then I took a light blue paper bag under my desk and handed it to her. "Can you… umm… give this to Tezuka-_san_ for me?"

Kana's eyes widened a little when she heard that. "Why me? If it's for Tezuka-_san_, aren't you supposed to be the one who should give it to him?"

"I can't!" I suddenly said. "I… I can't face him yet… Not yet or else, I'll break down in front of him."

"Does this has something to do with what we talked about before?" she asked me, her concern for me was really showing in her voice.

All I did was to nod once and sadly looked outside the window. Then suddenly, I saw Tezuka's smiling face as the wind caused the green trees to rustle. Along with that, I remembered a certain memory with him in it—a memory that I have no plans of forgetting even if everything comes to its end…

**-x-x-**

**_Flashback…_**

"_Kuu, look! That's the biggest sakura tree I've ever seen. Let's take a picture of it," I said excitedly as I pointed at the aforementioned tree a few yards at the back of the memorial hall._

"_Can we do it later? I still need to rest, you know," Tezuka said to me while catching his breath. Oh, yeah. I forgot that he had his tennis practice a while back. It was a rough one and right now, he was tired because of it._

_I scratched the back of my head and smiled to him apologetically. "I'm sorry. It's just that… I'm actually a little bit excited that I have to take a picture of you and me under that sakura tree for the first time. We never had time to do that before, right?" And so with that said, we decided to sit under that sakura tree for the little while._

_From there, we could see the sun dyed the earth in scarlet that the view was amazingly breathtaking. I decided to take a picture of it first since I couldn't possibly miss out this beautiful scenery. When I looked at Kuu, I saw his eyes closed with his back leaning on the sakura tree. It looked like he was peacefully sleeping and to be honest, he looked amazingly handsome. The wind was gently blowing and a few strands of his auburn hair had swayed along._

_Before I knew it, I was taking a few snapshots of that position of his. This was one moment I wouldn't definitely miss, after all. We stayed there for a few more minutes since I let him rest for as long as he liked. When he woke up, he had this frantic look on his face that I couldn't help but to giggle._

_I wished I could've taken a picture of that._

"_I have to go!" he blurted out and immediately stood up after taking his tennis bag._

"_Wait up, Kuu!" I shouted as I tried to catch up with him._

_But doing so only made me trip because of a large tree root that I didn't see as I ran to catch up with Kuu. It was a good thing that I didn't fall flat on my face. But then, as I try to stand up, I ended up falling down on my knees. I guess I twisted my ankle, then. Now how was I supposed to go home with a twisted ankle?_

"_Are you alright, Kazu-chan?"_

_That was when I raised my head as soon as I heard that familiar voice. My eyes began to water upon landing my eyes on that handsome face of Kuu, now looking at me with worries and concern. Before I knew it, I was crying… for some reason I couldn't explain at all._

"_I… I-I thought you… y-you left me…" I said in between sobs and sniffles. Geez! Why was I being dramatic and a crybaby all of a sudden?_

_Then I saw him turned around while crouching down. "Come on. Hop on my back. I'll carry you."_

_It took me a while to absorb what he said and my body just obliged to that. Was this guy a marionette or something that he could actually let me do what he wanted me to do? But I knew he wasn't. I guess he just had this sort of power that had drawn me close to him._

_Whatever that power was, I could feel its warmth engulfing me. How I wish I could stay close to his like this forever._

_As we were about to reach the memorial hall where my mom was surely waiting for me, Kuu suddenly but gently put me down on a bench and said, "Wait here." I was confused but then I decided to just let him be. At least I was glad that he wouldn't abandon me in this state._

_A few minutes later, he came back. But then I frowned at the sight of a flower on his hand. Seriously, he left me here just to retrieve a flower from… somewhere? But soon after, my confusion turned to sheer surprise when he handed me that flower—which turned out to be a purple hyacinth._

_Because I couldn't find a word to say something about that, all I could do was to look at him with questioning eyes before looking at the flower I gladly took from his hand._

_When he probably realized that I was confused about his action, he averted his gaze from me as he blushed. "Don't look at me like that. I know I don't look like the romantic guy and I'm not. I guess I won't ever be that kind of guy."_

"_Then why are you giving this to me?" I asked despite feeling elated all of a sudden for some reasons._

"_The meaning…" he mumbled as his eyes softened and became sad. "I'm giving it to you because of the meaning."_

_I didn't say anything as I looked at the flower. He gave me this purple hyacinth because of its meaning, huh? Because of that, I couldn't help but to smile at him. He looked so cute when I saw his face—particularly his cheeks—had turned into an even deeper crimson color._

"_Don't worry. You're forgiven…" I said before I put the flower on my chest and closed my eyes for a few moments. After that, I opened my eyes again and faced him. "Thank you for the beautiful flower, Kuu. I'll treasure this forever."_

"_I'm glad to know that," he said before he carried me again on his back._

_At that moment, I knew I would never feel that warm feeling to any other person again other than Kuu. _

_Only he could make me feel that warmth and no one else…_

**-x-x-**

I shrugged off the thought in my head after I heard Kana's exasperated sigh.

"When do you want me to hand this to him?" Kana asked after I regained my composure.

"After I leave this classroom… Possibly ten to fifteen minutes after I left the classroom," I said and then I handed the paper bag to her. Kana took it from me and didn't dare to take a peek inside of it.

"Are you sure about this?"

I just nodded and took off before I break down in front of my friend. I didn't want Kana to know how weak I was when it comes to Tezuka. I didn't want her to pity me because I didn't need it.

Just like the first day, I ran away from that place as I let my feet take me to… anywhere…

That's right. Anywhere would be fine as long as I could burst it all out in one cry. I was tired of crying because of regret for two years. I couldn't believe that I was still crying because of him until now.

When would I be able to stop these tears from falling? When I finally managed to let him go?

Well, that was the problem. I couldn't let him go. Why couldn't I let go when I knew I have nothing left to hold on to?

Was that how love supposed to be? That no matter how hard you try to let him go, you could never just do so because of the fact that you still love him?

_**It's not goodbye**_

_**Until the day I'll let you go**_

_**Until we say our next hello**_

_**It's not goodbye**_

_**'Til I see you again**_

_**I'll be right here rememberin' when**_

_**And if time is on our side**_

_**There will be no tears to cry**_

_**On down the road**_

_**There is one thing I can't deny**_

_**It's not goodbye...**_

I wasn't the type of girl who could keep it all inside for a long time. So here's my question:

How was I able to keep the fact to him that I love him? How was I able to bear it all and didn't let go despite the fact that he hated me now?

But I guess even if he hated me now, I could never hate him back. At the very least, that was what I figured out even after he said that he would forget about me which brought insurmountable pain in my heart.

I couldn't believe love would be this ironic… and possibly pathetic…

**-x-x-**

"Tezuka, someone wants to give this to you. It was kind of important that you have to receive it, according to Kana's friend," Oishi said as he handed a light blue paper bag to Tezuka as soon as they were done fixing their things so that they could proceed to their tennis practice.

Oishi's words were a little serious than usual and his voice had a kind of sad hints in it that even Fuji, Inui, Eiji and Kawamura knew was weird.

"_Nya_! Isn't that from your girlfriend, Oishi?" Eiji suddenly blurted out that made Oishi blushed slightly.

But weird enough, Oishi decided to ignore it for now.

Tezuka took the paper bag from Oishi without a word since he could tell that the latter was serious in some way. But then he asked himself who would actually give something to him. For sure, it wasn't from any fan girls since he clearly told Oishi not to give him something from those people. But who was this person that gave this mysterious gift to him who happened to be Miyuzaki Kana's friend if it wasn't a fan girl?

_**You say it's over **_**  
><em>I say we've just begun <em>  
><em>'Coz it ain't forever <em>  
><em>Until our lives are done<em>**

He placed it on his desk and opened the paper bag to see what was inside. The others seemed to be holding their breaths in anticipation since they wanted to know the content of that paper bag. But then they were surprised to see that Tezuka froze in shock as he kept on staring inside the paper bag.

It couldn't be, right?

Wait a minute! He wasn't sure if it was really _her_…

_**I know I did some things **_**  
><em>That I never should <em>  
><em>I'd undo them if I could <em>  
><em>I'd turn my life around for you <em>  
><em>Anything you'd ask me to... <em>  
><em>Just tell me...<em>**

He took the contents out of the bag and looked at it. One was a mini-bouquet of purple hyacinth and the other was a music box in the shape of a grand piano. He decided to put down the flowers first and opened the music box.

Upon hearing the melody it played, Tezuka felt like he went back to that time—the time that he wouldn't dare forget no matter what…

"_Nocturne op. 9 no. 2 in E-flat major_ by Frederic Chopin… Isn't this the song that we heard at the memorial hall a week ago?" Fuji said as he looked at Tezuka who remained stoic.

"Memorial hall? You mean Hondou Renji Memorial Hall? I heard from Aika that Hondou Renji's granddaughter has returned from America two days before the semester started," Kawamura informed calmly.

Though that information alone was enough to shake Tezuka's world from within, he didn't show it. He tried to focus his mind to the music and the flower.

_**What must I do to make you want to stay **_**  
><em>And take the hurt away <em>  
><em>And leave it all to yesterday?<em>**

_So he didn't forget about me? After all those things I said to her? And to think she'd come back and give me this…_ Tezuka thought before he noticed a postcard of some sort inside the paper bag. He took it out, only to see that it was a light blue envelop with a card inside.

He opened the envelop and saw a card—or probably a postcard like he originally thought—inside of it. But then he was wrong. What was inside that envelop was a picture of him sleeping. Wait! When and where was this picture taken? But upon analyzing it, he realized that it was taken during that special time—the day he gave Kazumi a purple hyacinth.

He turned it over and saw something written at the back of the picture.

_**What can I say to make you change your mind? **_**  
><em>To have the chance to turn the hands of time <em>  
><em>Back to the days when you were mine? <em>  
><em>Just give me one more chance for one last time.<em>**

_It really is her… Kazumi really returned…_ he thought as he noticed the familiar handwriting on the picture's back. He wanted to cry as he read the messsage but chose not not. It was a good thing the Fuji and Inui didn't see what was written on it since he has no plans of letting them know that.

Without a word, he put the music box inside the paper bag after he closed it along with the purple hyacinth bouquet and the picture. Soon after, he faced the others.

"Let's go," he said rather nonchalantly that wasn't new to the others.

Oishi could only sigh as he saw Tezuka left the classroom with that mysterious gift.

"I wonder what happened for Tezuka to act like that after looking at the picture," Kawamura said with hints of concern.

"Who knows… Has anyone of you read the message at the back of that picture?" Fuji inquired. The others shook their heads except Inui.

Without a word, Inui opened his notebook to show the others what he had seen at the back of the mysterious picture. They couldn't help but to feel sad for the sender after reading it.

_I wish I could say "I'm sorry" but I guess you'll never listen to me now that you don't want to open your heart to me anymore. I know I made a mistake when I chose to break my promise to you that time. But still, can't we start over again? I hope you still remember the meaning of purple hyacinth… I couldn't say it straight to you right now so I hope this will suffice for now…_

"The meaning of purple hyacinth? You mean the flower's representation?" Eiji asked after reading it.

Inui took back his notebook and closed it. "Probably."

"So that's what Kana meant when she said that her friend would always look at Tezuka from afar with pained expression on her face, as if she made the greatest mistake to him. It's like she couldn't find it in her heart to forgive herself—in any way," Oishi said in a serious tone that made the others serious, too.

"_Nya_! What do you mean, Oishi? Did your girlfriend know what happened between her friend and Tezuka?" Eiji asked innocently, immediately breaking the serious atmosphere surrounding them.

At this point, Oishi blushed even harder that he wanted to punch Eiji to the face and also because the person that the red head mentioned suddenly entered the classroom with an annoyed look on her face.

"Eiji-_kun_, keep calling me Shuichiro's girlfriend and expect that the Golden Pair will break up anytime soon," Kana said in a threatening tone with her hands on her waists. Eiji hid behind Oishi. Soon after, however, her face turned solemn as she put down her hands to her sides. "I don't know what happened between her and Tezuka-_san_ before. But I could tell that it ended painfully. And she wanted to apologize to him about it. I guess the purple hyacinth's representation says it all."

"Miyuzaki-_san_, do you know what the flower means?" Kawamura asked.

Kana nodded sadly. "A purple hyacinth means _I'm sorry_ and _please forgive me_… Or at least, that's what she told me yesterday when she bought a bouquet of it."

"Oh…" was all the others could say after that.

"Let's just hope something good happens after all this," she said before exiting the classroom with a solemn expression and yet her eyes were sad. Oishi couldn't help but to feel worried for Kana.

But that was when Inui realized something. "I forgot to ask Miyuzaki-_san_ about her friend's name who gave the music box and the flowers to Tezuka."

"I doubt if she'll tell you something about it…"

"Maybe we'll find out soon," Kawamura added to what Oishi said. "After all, this is about Tezuka's past with that girl. Whatever it is, time will come and we'll know the truth. Of course, it's still up to Tezuka."

"But this is something that we shouldn't let go. I must find out what happened," Inui insisted as he mumbled something while writing on his notebook.

But with this situation, they doubted if Inui or any of them could find out the real story anytime soon.

Only time could definitely tell what story lies within that purple hyacinth…

**-x-x-**

_**I won't deny it **_**  
><em>I know that I've done wrong <em>  
><em>But you have to admit it <em>  
><em>This love is just too strong<em>**

But that story, however, wa something that Tezuka couldn't reveal to his friends yet. He never did so for two years and he would let that be until he could finally have that one chance to change and settle everything—to fix everything that he had broken. Kazumi already made a move—and everything else somehow followed even though he haven't seen her yet.

He stopped walking and raised his head to look around. Again, to his surprise, he found himself standing outside the tennis court that was familiar to him. It was the tennis court he used to go to at the back of Hondou Renji Memorial Hall. The tennis court that held an inspiration for him to play tennis.

That inspiration was none other than Kazumi herself and also, the music she usually play whenever he was practicing with his friends in that tennis court. Not only that, he also had several tennis matches there with Miyuzaki Kana's older brother Takumi who has a skill already close to a pro. And of course, Takumi knew his secret—a secret about his feelings towards Kazumi that he only realized a bit too late.

_**To just fade away into the night **_**  
><em>Without putting up a fight <em>  
><em>We can make it all alright <em>  
><em>If we just give it one more try...<em>**

Tezuka sighed and before he knew it, he proceeded to enter the tennis court. From what he could see, only a few people usually went there to play tennis nowadays. It had been a long while since he last went there. Two long years… That's how long he had last heard Kazumi play the piano. That's how long he had last seen her smile and heard her laugh. The only thing he could ever remember about the day she told him she would leave was he face contorted in surprise, hurt and regret. It was that face that had haunted him ever since.

He should be the one apologizing to her, not the other way around. But that wasn't how it all happened. It was Kazumi who made the first move. She did it using the one item which held a beautiful memory to both of them. And from what he could see, Kazumi still treasured it despite…

_**So... **_**  
><em>What must I do to make you want to stay <em>  
><em>And take the hurt away <em>  
><em>And leave it all to yesterday? <em>  
><em>What can I say to make you change your mind? <em>  
><em>To have the chance to turn the hands of time <em>  
><em>Back to the days when you were mine? <em>  
><em>Just give me one more chance for one last time...<em>**

He sighed once more and then took the photo inside the paper. Despite having a painful reminscing, he smiled at the sight of him in that photo peacefully sleeping. She definitely captured the right lighting and angle of that scene that made it somewhat giving off a serene atmosphere. After doing that for a minute or two, he looked at the back of the photo.

_I'm sorry… Can't we start over again?_

Those words were surely from someone who had been through lot of suffering and regret. And those feelings were something that he had caused her…

…to his special girl…

…to the girl he could never forget…

…to the girl he had hurt and who had been the reason why he shielded his heart and isolated his true emotions to the rest of the world

He only wanted that girl to know the real him… to see the real Tezuka Kunimitsu. But he had turned his back to that girl before. He turned his back on her and let her get away. And now…

Now she came back. Now she was saying sorry despite the words he had said to her before. And now he realized that the love he felt for her—the love that only Takumi had managed to figure out—was even stronger than how it was before.

And that was the main reason why he was hurt when she decided to leave. That hurt he had felt blinded him to the core and made him say those harsh words to her.

_**And what can I say to make you change your mind **_**  
><em>To have the chance to turn the hands of time <em>  
><em>Back to the days when you were mine? <em>  
><em>Just give me one more chance for one last time.<em>**

He was staring at the note written on the photo for who knows how long and yet he couldn't tear his eyes away from it. The words would never change and he clearly knew that. But those words were enough for him to know that the chance he was actually waiting to have could be just around the corner. He just needed to keep a keen eye to that before it would slip away from his hand and never let him have it again.

He didn't want that to happen.

Not now… not ever…

But right now, all that he could care about was to think of a way to apologize to Kazumi. And this time, he woul make sure that it wouldn't be too late for him. He would do all that it takes to bring her back to his life.

He just needed to figure out of a way on how to do it.

He wouldn't give up until he brought Kazumi back to his life once again.

_**Just one more kiss to last a lifetime **_**  
><em>One more chance for one last time...<em>**

He vowed to do so as he stood in the middle of that tennis court—just one of the places of his memories_._

_Please forgive me… Kazumi… Just give me a chance to say that before I lose it all and lose you for good…_

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**The songs featured here were entitled "It's Not Goodbye" by Laura Pausini ( a foreign song for once) and "One More Chance" by Piolo Pascual (another OPM). Obviously, I don't own them. I'll put the next chapter as soon as I can. Whenever that is... **


	3. Tezuka-Kazumi: Classic Love In Spring 3

**A/N: This is the third chapter for this story. I'm sorry if I just posted it now. I was actually busy with study and at the same time, I was updating my other stories, as well. Well, I hope you like this one. Other than that, enjoy reading. The tennis scene here is solely based on my imagination so forgive me if there are errors. Oh, and don't forget to leave your reviews about this chapter. ^_^**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis. I don't have any plans of getting sued because of it, you know.**

**Warning: Characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC**

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**CHAPTER THREE**

Unexpectedly losing something important in your life—whether it was a person or a thing—would always cause a dramatic change on how we live our lives. We cry, we grieve, and we lose the ability to live our lives the way it was before. We might have denied it the eyes of many people, but never to ourselves. After all, we knew ourselves better than anyone else even if we deny a few things or so.

Tezuka felt the same way. His serious and more often stoic face hid a reality he was dealing with for a long time. No one knew he was suffering from regret and guilt of losing the one person he cared the most. And it was all because of what he said that he didn't really mean to. Even still, he couldn't believe that she would be the first to say sorry after all that had happened.

Yes… a "she"… A long time ago, he lost a certain brown-haired girl who loved to play the piano and play the pieces composed by Mozart and Chopin. He lost her—his best friend—because of her inability to fulfill her promise to him. She has her reasons for doing that and he should have known that. But then pain blinded his senses and made him say the words he regretted saying all his life.

"It's like you've been thinking deeper than you were yesterday, Tezuka," Coach Ryuzaki said that snapped him out of his musings.

Tezuka's face remained stoic but his eyes already revealed hints of pain and sadness that the coach still managed to see.

"I'm sorry," was all that Tezuka said in return. Besides, he could never tell her the reason even though he had the urge to do so. After that, he went with the others to do some practice matches in order to straighten up his thoughts.

However, it only caused his friends—mainly Oishi, Fuji, Eiji, Inui and Kawamura—to worry even more for him. Tezuka had been acting a lot weirder ever since a mystery girl gave him a gift a week ago—or at least that's what they noticed from him. But they couldn't do anything about it. They knew Tezuka wouldn't let them do anything, aside from the fact that Kana warned them not to meddle with anyone's business—especially with relation to Tezuka and that mysterious girl. Kana's mouth was close about the identity of the girl so Inui had to do his "research" about her discreetly. The only clue they got so far was the music piece on the music box and that she was Kana's friend.

By far, Inui already had four lead—namely the data man's childhood friend Yamazaki Hanako, member of the Karate Club and a tennis regular; Hondou Kazumi, a renowned young virtuoso when it comes to piano and granddaughter of the famous pianist Hondou Renji; Kawamura's best friend Sarasugawa Aika, member of the Karate Club and also a tennis regular; and Yumemiya Miyako, the academy's "Siren of the Silver Wind" and a member of the Literature Club—so he has to carefully do his research or all else would fail. Fuji knew what Inui was doing and therefore, the tensai was more than willing to lend a hand with this. Eiji supported the two while Oishi and Kawamura were a little unsure about the idea of spying on Tezuka's personal life. But then, determination couldn't simply be stirred by mere warnings and "what if's".

Meanwhile, Kana had been extremely careful this past week because she knew that Tezuka's friends would do anything to know the identity of the girl who gave the music box to Tezuka. She couldn't tell them that a young pianist and her childhood friend Hondou Kazumi was the girl who did that. Tezuka and Kazumi had a past that they never dared telling to anyone else and Kana knew that. It's just that she couldn't figure out what was that past that tore those two apart for a long time.

But then, only those people involved knew how Tezuka and Kazumi's past had made them both suffer all this time. They couldn't undo the past that separated them, but they had the present to find a way to fix what was broken. They only needed to find out how to do that.

Just like what she had done these past few days, Kazumi watched Tezuka play tennis even though it was just a practice match with one of his upperclassmen. After all, they were still in first year. She knew it wouldn't be impossible for Tezuka to become a regular of the high school division tennis team sooner even though he was only a freshman. But just like what she couldn't help doing along with it, her face would always have an expression that defined what she had been feeling for him for a long time.

Sadness…

Pain…

Guilt…

Regret…

And even though it was just subtle, there was also love expressed on her face as she looked at him every time…

But how was she supposed to let him know that? How was she going to do that if there was a wall separating them now because of those emotions?

"You never get tired of watching him, huh?"

Kazumi turned around to know who said that. It wasn't a surprise for her to see Kana approaching her.

"Aren't you going to approach him?"

She shook her head sadly. "I don't think I can do that casually. Besides, I'm not even sure if he was glad to see me. I hurt him before, after all."

"You know, every time you're saying things like that, it made me even more intrigued to know what really happened between you and Tezuka-_san_ before you left more than two years ago. But since it's your personal life, I'm not going to do something like that," Kana just said after sighing since it wouldn't be that easy to force Kazumi to say anything. Then she thought of an idea. "I'm not sure if you'll agree, but would you like to have a tennis match today? I could ask Hana-_chan_ or Ai-_chan_ for us to use the tennis court."

Kazumi frowned a bit as she absorbed the idea in her head. "Okay, I'll do it. I haven't done tennis in a long time so I guess a little tennis match wouldn't hurt."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Only Kana knew the fact that Kazumi had been playing tennis since she was six years old. The two of them usually played together at the tennis court near the memorial hall before Kazumi forced to mellow down in playing tennis. That reason didn't stop her from playing, though.

"Are you sure we're allowed to use the tennis courts for this practice match, Kana-_chan_?" Kazumi asked as she hesitantly went with her friend's plan.

Kana just smiled, though. "The truth is, I already asked Nakayama-_sensei_'s permission even before I asked you to have a practice match with me. She agreed since she was intrigued about you playing tennis."

"You mean we're not going to be the only ones who will be there?" She didn't know what to think about that.

"Sort of. But it's okay. Only the two of us plus Miya-_chan_, Ai-_chan_, Hana-_chan_ and Nakayama-_sensei_ will be the ones to watch us. They kind of curious to know about you play tennis. Besides, they wanted to find out how good Hondou Kazumi is when it comes to tennis and not just playing the piano," Kana explained. Then she handed a blue tennis racket to her. "You can use my tennis racket for this one."

She took the racket from Kana. But then she noticed something. "You're not actually expecting me to play tennis while wearing my school uniform, are you?"

Kana laughed at that before handing her a pair of sweater and pants. "Silly girl. Of course not. I already took my newly-washed PE uniform since I know you forgot to bring yours. And since we're just the same size, I can let you use it."

"Do you really have to specify the word 'newly-washed' while saying that?"

"Of course!"

Kazumi rolled her eyes and slightly shook her head before the two of them went to the girl's locker room to change from their school uniform to their sports attire. They were done a few minutes after. Kana tied her long blood-red hair into two Chinese buns while Kazumi just tied her hair to a ponytail with a purple ribbon. Soon after, ther went out of the locker room and headed to the courts to start playing tennis.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Oishi, you're heading out somewhere?" Eiji asked when he saw Oishi quickly packing up his tennis gears into his bag. It was the end of their afternoon practice for that day.

"I'm going with Kana to buy something for her project. Nakayama-_sensei_ said she's at the tennis courts used by the girls' tennis team so I'll head there first," Oishi explained as he carried his tennis bag.

"_Nya_! Then I'll come along with you!" Eiji suddenly declared in excitement. But then he stopped when he realized something. "But wait! Maybe that's a bad idea since it's a date between couples. Nyaa, I shouldn't meddle with that kind of situation."

Oishi blushed at the word "date". "It's not a date! And Kana and I are not a couple!"

"At least not yet," Inui mumbled before leaving the locker room. Fuji just chuckled and went out of the room along with Inui and Tezuka.

"Aika's at the tennis court, too since she mentioned that she might be watching a good match today after their practice. I guess Yamazaki-_san_'s there, as well," Kawamura mentioned as they all walked together away from the tennis courts. "Would it be okay if I go with you, Oishi?"

"Sure. It's been a while since I watched a tennis match with the girls as the players."

"By the way, do you have an idea on who would play at that tennis match?" Fuji suddenly asked.

Oishi didn't say anything for a moment or so since he was trying to remember what Coach Nakayama said to him. Nakayama Yukino was the coach of the high school division girls' tennis team, a history teacher, and the adviser of the student council, so it wasn't a surprise for the others to know that Oishi was updated about the tennis club for girls. In addition to that, his "soon-to-be girlfriend" Miyuzaki Kana was a member of both clubs.

"_Sensei_ said that one of Kana's friends hasn't played tennis for a long time. Kana wants to test out her friend's tennis skills for some reason. She also said that it was an intriguing tennis match to watch since a pianist will be the one Kana would have a match with," Oishi explained.

Tezuka frowned slightly—albeit inwardly—when he heard what Oishi said. _A pianist? He couldn't possibly mean… That's impossible. Besides, Kazumi's not the only pianist I know._ But if that was the case, then why was he having a weird feeling about what he had just heard from Oishi?

"You have a name of that pianist?" Inui asked. Tezuka couldn't help sighing inwardly for having the data man beat him up to it.

But Oishi just shrugged and answered. "No idea. We'll find out once we get there."

As they continued to walk towards the tennis courts used by the girls' tennis club, the others were surely feeling a little weird (or maybe not just a little) when they noticed that Tezuka was actually going with them. But since they couldn't find the guts to ask him for some reasons, they let it be that way for a while. Maybe they would find out the reason sooner.

As for Tezuka, he couldn't understand why he decided to go with Oishi to the girls' tennis court. Ever since he heard that Kana's opponent was a pianist, he couldn't help wishing for… something. But who was he fooling?

His friends?

His friends didn't even know what he was thinking about—or to be precise, who he was thinking about.

Himself?

Probably… especially since his heart had long been succumbed into regret and sadness the day he let her get away because of the words he said to her. But there was never a day for more than two years that passed that he neglected to wish he could undo what he did and be with her again.

A girl's laughter and a tennis ball hitting the racket broke him away from his trance. Not only that, his heart suddenly skipped a beat when he realized that the laughter he heard was familiar.

Too familiar, to be exact, that he thought he suddenly stood in a dream world. He didn't hear it wrong, right? He has to know that sooner. And that was when he realized that he already reached the tennis courts. What he saw had put him in a trance once again that hadn't happened before.

This trance, however, only brought back a lot of emotions he thought he succesfully locked up in the deepest corner of his heart. Along with it, he remembered something that happened the day he received the purple hyacinth and the music box…

"_Nocturne op. 9 no. 2 in E-flat major by Frederic Chopin… Isn't this the song that we heard at the memorial hall a week ago?" Fuji asked as he looked at Tezuka who remained stoic._

"_Memorial hall? You mean Hondou Renji Memorial Hall? I heard from Aika that Hondou Renji's granddaughter has returned from Ameirca two days before the semester started," Kawamura informed calmly…_

"She really came back…" Tezuka unconsciously uttered in surprise as he looked at the tennis courts—particularly to Kana's opponent whose back was facing him and his friends since they were watching the tennis match on the other side of the court's fences. Kana seemed to be enjoying the match since she just smiled at Oishi upon seeing him.

_So it really is her… It's Kazumi! _Tezuka's mind had finally absorbed the thought as he watched the tennis match intently. He couldn't believe it! Until now, even though he already received the purple hyacinth in which only Kazumi was the girl whom he handed the same flower a long time ago, he couldn't still find it in him to believe in it. But each time the racket hit the ball to the other side of the net, it forced him to believe.

After all, tennis was one of the the things that kept his mind in focus. As the brunette continued to return the ball to Kana's side of the court, Tezuka noticed that Kazumi's movements were somehow minimal, giving it a graceful and elegant effect. When he glanced to his friends from the corner of his eyes, he could tell that they were awed at the sight. He even saw Inui writing something in his green notebook as the match was still going on. It was like the data man was taking down notes on every movement that Kazumi would do.

He gazed back to the tennis court, just in time he saw Kazumi returned the ball to Kana's court using a technique that made the ball "glide" to the ground as it lowered from the net and only bounced a few feet away from the service line. He saw Kana jokingly glowered at Kazumi as the latter laughed.

"I hate it when you do that glider shot," Kana complained as she pouted. "Are you sure you mellowed down from playing tennis for years? With the way you played it, it seem to me your skills hadn't diminished at all."

"Yes, I've mellowed down in playing but that doesn't mean I stopped. Tennis is something I could never give up no matter what happens to me."

"The same way you couldn't _give__ **him**_ up?" Kana cautiously asked that took Kazumi aback but didn't show it.

Besides, there was no need for her to show it even to her childhood friend. A heavy sigh was heard from her before answering. "Yeah… The same way I could never give him up…" But as Kazumi turned around, she felt that time froze somehow as she looked at a particular someone outside that tennis court. Her eyes then widened before unconsciously dropping both the tennis ball and the tennis racket she was holding to the ground. She wondered if what she was seeing right now in front of her was a part of her fantasy, a dream that she wanted to reach.

The others noticed that reaction from Kazumi, making them all confused and suspicions started to rise. That was what made them look at Tezuka. He was staring at Kazumi wide eyed, as well. They were surprised to see that from the bespectacled stoic man who couldn't hide the surprise in his face at that moment.

"O… kay… Are we missing something here?" Hanako decided to break the tensed silence and surprised atmosphere surrounding the two. But then they noticed that it wasn't as easy as that…

…especially when both Kazumi and Tezuka uttered something that—even though it was almost in a whisper—the others still managed to hear.

"Kazu-chan…" Tezuka uttered in a slightly pained tone.

"Kuu… it's really you…" Kazumi managed to say even though her voice started to crack. Without her knowing, tears welled up at the brim of her eyes and blurred her vision soon after. She then lowered her head for a second to avoid Tezuka's stares at her. "I… I have to go, Kana-_chan_. We'll just continue the match some other time." And before anyone could stop her, she ran away before she could let the others see the tears starting to fall from her eyes.

But that action didn't only surprise the others, it also made two hearts yearn even more to be with each other despite the pain that slowly took them over from within. None of them thought that this day would hold the one faithful moment they longed for.

But then, how could this moment made them unable to do what they really want to do? How could this moment only brought them even more pain? Why were they trying to run away?

"I don't think this is going to be easy…" Oishi and Kana commented in unison before they noticed Tezuka walking away.

"Is that what I think it is?" Inui inquired as he scanned his notebook before he wrote something.

Kana only sighed as she picked up the tennis racket that Kazumi dropped earlier. "Don't ask. It's already complicated that I couldn't even simplify it in any way."

"I agree…" Fuji said.


	4. Tezuka-Kazumi: Classic Love In Spring 4

**This is the 4th chapter already and so far, I'd like to thank you for supporting this story. Sorry for updating late. I'm actually updating other stories in my account and studies usually eat up my time to write and post this. I guess that's it for the explanation. Thanks again. Enjoy reading the fourth chapter. And please review! I'd really appreciate it a lot. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis. I have no plans on getting sued if I did otherwise.**

**Warning: Characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC**

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Tezuka decided to head home after unexpectedly seeing someone at the tennis courts. Who would've thought that it would only take a tennis match for him to really believe that Kazumi came back for real? And how come he didn't know that she could play tennis, too? How come he never knew that part of her life? They were friends before, right?

_Before…_ That word made him feel like something sharp stabbed his chest. That's right… His and Kazumi's relationship—to be specific, their friendship—was a thing of the past now. Unfortunately, it was a past he couldn't find in him to let go no matter what. Why would he? He never had a chance to tell her the one truth he'd been meaning to tell her before she left more than two years ago. He wanted to let her know _that truth_ if it would bring Kazumi back to him—back to his life—again.

When he stopped walking, he noticed that his feet led him to that special place again. He looked around and that was when he realized that he was in front of the memorial hall. He smiled sadly at that realization. It has been a long time since he last went there (that is, even before he subconsciously allowed his feet to lead him there two days before the semester started) and he couldn't help remembering a lot of memories he had in that place. Of course, most of it had him and Kazumi in it. After all, those were his treasured memories of the one person he surely loved at least for once in his life.

But with what happened a while back, could he really say the same thing to himself?

Heaving a heavy sigh (which he seldom do), he decided to go inside the memorial hall since he wanted to see the changed it had. Along the way, he saw a portly middle-aged woman happily dusting off the furniture there. Thankfully, that woman allowed him to enter the memorial hall and have a tour for a while.

But as his feet began leading him to the piano room, he couldn't understand why his heart started thumping wildly for some reasons. This has never happened before. Not unless—

"Why?"

He was startled at the voice when he heard it. It was from a young woman, to be exact. Or at least that's what he had heard. He decided to take a peek inside the room but then he was surprised to see the person sitting in front of the grand piano. That brown-haired girl was facing a picture frame. Even if he was just looking at her back, he could see it from there that she was sad. Not only that, he could already identify who was that brown-haired girl since he memorized her silhouette right down to its detail.

"Kazumi…" he whispered, almost inaudibly, with a sad and pained tone in his voice.

He was then broke off from his trance upon hearing her talk to the picture frame again. Kazumi's voice was cracking; her sadness and pain were evident in it. It made him want to reach out for her but it wouldn't be as easy as that and he knew that.

"Why am I being so weak? I had the chance earlier to say what I wanted to say to him, _Ojii-chan_. But all I did was to run away and regret that later. I couldn't find the guts to talk to Kuu and say sorry for leaving him. I know the flower wasn't enough for me to convey my message to him—that I never meant to hurt him that way. But why is that, _Ojii-chan_? Why am I having a hard time saying it in front of him? I really, really want to apologize to him for what I did. I want to say that I could never forget about him and I could never do it. I mean, how could I forget the person that made me know what love is for the first time in my life? Even if he once said to me that I should forget about him and move on, I just couldn't do it… I just can't, _Ojii-chan_… I love him too much that it hurts me every time I see him. But I guess I'll never be able to let him know that. After all, he probably hates me now…" Kazumi said while crying in front of the grand piano and facing the picture of her grandfather. Soon after, she sobbed that tore Tezuka's heart just listening to the girl's monologue. The last thing he wanted to hear from her was her cries enough to rip his heart to pieces.

He couldn't believe Kazumi felt that way about him. He never thought that she suffered the same agony as he had for a long time. Never did it come to him that he would be able to see Kazumi in this state. Now he realized that he had been a cold-hearted bastard before. And that bastard made everything seemed so wrong—completely wrong that he wanted to burst it all out in one scream which he hadn't done for so long.

"I need your help, _Ojii-chan_. I don't know what to do anymore. I can't go on living like this. Please give me the courage to talk to Kuu and say what I wanted to say to him. This is the only way I know I could forgive myself…" Kazumi added as she continued to cry.

_Forgive herself? For what? She's not the one who's at fault with this. I am! But I can't even say that to her face to face… especially now that she couldn't do the same thing to me… What am I supposed to do?_ Tezuka thought after that and then he decided not to enter the piano room anymore. He couldn't possibly let it be this way any longer.

Kazumi already did her best to convey her feelings through the means of the music box and the one flower that partly bound them together—the purple hyacinth. It was his time to do the same. He has to end their suffering before something happens again that would probably separate her from him again—and this time, it might be forever.

He couldn't afford to let that happen. Not now, not ever!

With that determination, he headed home this time.

**-x-x-**

**_The next day…_**

Kazumi sighed as soon as she placed her bag on her desk the moment she reached the classroom. Thankfully, she managed to wake up early despite suffering from insomnia because of so many thoughts running in her mind. What did she expect? It was inevitable, anyway. She cried for who knows how long before her eyes finally got tired of crying and allowed her to sleep.

But even though her eyes were closed, her mind didn't rest thinking of one person that was making her cry right now. Even in her dreams, she could still see Tezuka and their memories together—happy memories that her heart had held on to for so long. God knows how much she treasured them. But would it still be worth it if she was the only one left holding on to it?

Geez! What the hell was she thinking? Was she still hoping for a miracle to happen?

"I think I need a drink…" she mumbled exasperatingly before she left her desk and went out. She had to go to the cafeteria and at least buy a drink at the vending machine. She needed that, after all.

But as soon as she slid the door open and slightly raised her head, her eyes widened at the sight that greeted her. She felt like the sight of Tezuka froze her to that spot since she couldn't even move. Not only her, but Tezuka as well since he was about to head out to his classroom when Kazumi opened the door. Both of them felt that they were frozen to where they were standing at. The people who witnessed the events yesterday at the tennis courts noticed this. But just as Kana said, the situation was already complicated. They wouldn't simply intefere with what was happening.

Kazumi was battling in her own thoughts whether or not she would run away. But then she realized that running away would never take her anywhere. In fact, the situation would only get worse. How was she supposed to handle this without her breaking down?

"G-good morning," she greeted and bowed slightly that caught Tezuka a little off guard.

He thought that because of what happened yesterday, she would avoid him completely. Then he realized that how she acted yesterday was a spur of the moment since emotions overwhelmed both of them. Only he didn't release it. Of course, their past was one factor for that to happen. But then, it seemed that she was still holding something back so she could only say "good morning" to him.

He faced her with his naturally stoic expression as soon as she raised her head. Her eyes showed a bit of reluctancy when they faced each other. And it made him do one thing he rarely does—to show off a smile.

"Good morning, Kazumi," he said which only made them think that the time around them seemed to have stopped moving.

They stared at each other for some seconds before she lowered her head to hide her blush and to hide her tears welling up at the brim of her eyes. That's why she didn't know Tezuka looked at her with slightly strained expression on his face even though it was just for a while.

"You're unfair, you know that?" Kazumi said in a slightly strained voice that surprised Tezuka. He waited for her to say something more. All he could do for now was to listen to her.

Now that he thought about it, maybe it was one of the biggest mistakes of his life. He never listened to her, to her reasons why she left that day. Even though she said that she had to leave since she had no choice, there were still some other reasons other than that. If he did listen to her that day, would they end up the same way as now?

Probably not. He could've come up with a much better way for their "relationship" to continue. He wouldn't have ended it like that, causing both of them to suffer.

"You're unfair… How could you still call me by my name like… like I never hurt you at all? How could you still do that knowing that you hated me for leaving you and hurting you two years ago? I can't even do the same thing to you without me feeling the pain that's about to choke me from within and it made me hard to breath. How? Have you managed to move on like what you told me two years ago?" she muttered that Tezuka still managed to hear even though it was said softly. But despite being said softly, he could still feel some hints of pain in them.

_What I did to her two years ago… Did it really hurt her that much? And all the while, I thought I was the only one who suffered when she left…_ he sadly thought which he didn't show since he was actually facing her stoically. No one knew and they could never tell that he was already starting to crumble down inside because of regret for hurting Kazumi unknowingly a long time ago.

But before he could even say anything to counter that, both of them heard the school bell rang. And before he knew it, Kazumi entered the classroom which left him standing on his spot. How could time passed by so fast? He didn't even notice it.

A tap on his shoulder brought Tezuka out of his trance and musings. When he looked around, he saw his friends all looking at him with worried eyes. He didn't want to be looked at that way. But then he realized he wouldn't avoid it now.

They already knew the truth. And knowing his friends, they wouldn't stop until they discovered the full details. But right now, he has no plans of telling that to them. Not until he found a way to fix what was broken.

"Let's go. We still have class," was all that Tezuka said nonchalantly before heading to the classroom.

**-x-x-**

**_Two days later…_**

After that morning's last period, Tezuka decided to head out somewhere instead of having lunch with his friends. Fuji and Inui found it a little unusual but Oishi chose to keep quiet about it. Only he and Kana knew what was about to happen later with their help.

Tezuka reached the rooftop and just as he expected, Kana was there. She was looking at the sky with a smile on her face before she turned around when she heard some footsteps a few meters behind her. She wasn't surprised to see Tezuka approaching her with a light blue paper bag.

_Why do I have a feeling that this is a lot like déjà vu?_ Kana thought as she waited for Tezuka to come near her.

"That bag's for Kazu-_chan_, isn't it?" she said. It was a statement rather than a question.

Tezuka nodded. "So you already knows what happened to us before…"

"Not really. Yes, I know you and Kazu-_chan_ had a past but I have no idea what it was since she's not saying anything about it to me. We're childhood friends but that doesn't mean I could always ask her about her secrets so casually. I have to admit, I have a secret that I couldn't tell her at all. I can understand that. Besides, I'm not exactly a pushy person." And then Kana chuckled a bit. A few seconds later, they were both serious. "By the way, Shuichiro said you wanted my help, right? Is it about that bag?"

Tezuka looked at the paper bag he for a few seconds before he sighed and nodded to answer Kana's question. For some reason, it was easy for him to approach Kana. Probably because she was Oishi's childhood friend. Or maybe not just that. One, Kana was already acting as a barrier to shield him and Kazumi from being exposed further, especially if it was about his past with Kazumi. And two, she was his only bridge to get closer to Kazumi. So far, Kana was more than willing to help him and he was glad for that.

"You think you can give it to her before she goes home?" he asked and handed her the bag.

Kana took it and didn't even dare take a peek. "I will, if it will help the two of you," she assured.

"Thanks," he said sincerely.

"Thank me when you and Kazu-_chan_ managed to work it out."

_How I wish it works…_ he hoped before leaving the place. He looked up to the sky for a while. It was blue—cloudless blue sky, to be more precise. He smiled inwardly with a feeling in his heart that everything might work out.

After all, the sky was colored blue.

And blue represents hope…

**-x-x-**

Right after class, Kana gave the light blue paper bag to Kazumi just as Tezuka wanted her to do, much to Kazumi's confusion. Kazumi was about to read Miyako's new manuscript when Kana placed the mysterious bag on her desk.

"What's this?" Kazumi asked as she opened the bag.

"It's from a friend. He said that he wanted you to have it. Don't worry, that friend of mine is totally not dangerous so I did him a favor of giving that to you."

"Why do I have a feeling that this 'friend' of yours is someone we know of?" Miyako asked as she approached Kana. "But I guess you wouldn't tell us something about that… yet."

Kana just gave a mysterious smile that Kazumi never managed to see since her eyes were fixated on the content of the paper bag. It has two small bouquets of flowers in it—one of which was different from the other. The blue bouquet was consisted of the flower astilbe while the indigo bouquet was consisted of the flower arbutus, both of which she knew the meaning since those flowers were just some of the many flowers being grown on her mother's garden. That garden was located on a secluded land a few yards west of the memorial hall.

But who would give her such flowers at a time like this?

"Flowers? Why give her flowers hidden in a paper bag?" Hanako asked when she saw the content.

"That friend of your, Kana, sure doesn't want the content of his gift to get attention," Aika said as they all looked at Kazumi who seemed to have been frozen to her spot as she looked at the flowers.

When she looked in the bag, Kazumi saw something else aside from the flowers. If she wasn't mistaken, it was a postcard-sized not written in an autumn-colored novelty paper. It was the same color she used to give to Tezuka during Christmas, New Year and even his birthday. So it was pretty much like her favorite color already—the color that first bound them as friends.

Kazumi took the note from the bag and took a look at it, only to be surprised to see a familiar handwriting on it. Was all of this a replay of what happened to Tezuka when she gave him (practically) the music box and the purple hyacinth? She wasn't sure but there was that possibility. She couldn't help wondering what Tezuka might have felt when she saw her gift.

She shrugged the thought off of her mind for a while and tried to concentrate to the note on her hand. But then she realized that Tezuka was trying to help her gather her courage to talk to tell him everything.

A certain sentence in the note made her realize that.

_I'm sorry if I hurt you two years ago because of what I said. I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused you. I guess all I did to you was to bring you sadness and pain that made you cry. But I couldn't find it in me to give you up just like that. I can't do it no matter how hard I try. That's how important you are to me. No matter what happens, I'll still be waiting for you even if it takes me forever to do so. You're the only one I love this much, Kazumi. At the very least, I want you to remember that._

Kazumi couldn't figure out what to do next after reading that. That note itself contained pretty much all of the thing she wanted to say to Tezuka face to face. Her hand slightly quivered as she continued to read it over and over, trying to make herself believe that it wasn't a dream, that all of what she read was true.

Unknowingly, hot tears streaked down her cheeks as she put the note to her chest, near her heart. She could feel her own heart beating fast yet it felt calming for some weird reason. She felt she had returned to the past as she relished Tezuka's written words in her head. And she had to do something for her to live in that past once again—to the past when she and Tezuka were able to talk to each other and let their feelings pour out.

With that determination, she faced her friends who were looking at her with concern in their eyes.

"Mind if I let you take care of my things here for a while? I just need to talk to someone," she said while placing the note and the bouquets back in the paper bag.

And it seemed her friends knew what would happen. Aika took the bag from Kazumi while Hanako started pulling her towards the door.

"Don't come back to us without a good news, okay?" Aika said firmly and yet with a smile. "I won't give this back to you if you gave us bad news."

Kazumi looked at her friends. They all had encouraging smile on their faces that definitely made her all fired up inside. In a way, she didn't want to fail them so she would do everything for things to work out between her and Tezuka. He already gave her the courage and the chance for her to do so.

"You can do it, Kazumi. We know you can," Miyako said and gave her a thumbs up.

Kzaumi showed a real and grateful smile towards her friends. "Thanks, guys…" she said before taking off and ran with all her might to reach her destination—the tennis courts.

"I never realized that Tezuka-_san_ could do such a thing. I thought he doesn't even have a 'romantic bone' in him at all," Miyako jokingly commented as she looked at her manuscript that Kazumi was supposed to read a while back.

"What are you talking about?" Hanako asked as she took Kazumi's things.

"Those flowers were like an indirect way that he thought of so he could confess to Kazumi."

"You mean an indirect confession?" Aika asked in surprise. Miyako nodded with a smile. "But how did he do that? And besides, is that even possible?"

But Kana already figured out what Miyako was talking about. "I think she meant the flowers that Tezuka-_san_ gave to Kazu-_chan_. You saw the flowers, right?"

Both Aika and Hanako nodded after they exchanged glanced to each other. "You mean the astilbe and the arbutus?"

"But how would that amount to a confession?" Hanako asked confusingly.

"The flowers' meanings…" Kana answered.

That was when Aika and Hanako realized something.

"I think Kazumi already knew those flowers' meanings because she was staring at it intently," Aika said.

"Now that you mentioned it, I guess you're right." And then Hanako faced Miyako. "You know the representations of those flowers?"

"You think I would comment on something like Tezuka-_san_ not having a 'romantic bone' in his body if I didn't know the flowers' representations? Flowers are key factor of a blossoming romance, in case you didn't know."

"Take it from the romance novelist," Kana joked that earned her a jab from Aika. "Ow! Be careful when you give that jab, would you?"

The four girls laughed at that for a bit before Miyako answered Hanako's question seriously. "Astilbe means _I'll still be waiting_ and arbutus means _you're the only one I love_. Now you know why I said it was Tezuka-_san_'s indirect confession to Kazumi-_chan_. Those flowers contained the words he probably wanted to say to Kazumi-_chan_ two days ago."

"He finally gave her an answer in return to the purple hyacinth back then…" Kana added before looking outside the window. _I just hope it's enough to patch up and fix what was broken between them two years ago…_


	5. Tezuka-Kazumi: Classic Love In Spring 5

**I'm really sorry for updating this really late. I've been busy updating my other stories and with school works, among other things. If you want me to add taking care of my sister's godson, then I hope it would be a plausible explanation why I updated this a little late.**

**Before I start this chapter, I just want to say thank you for those who took their time to leave a review on this one. Thanks to _xxxninJAxxx_, _Guest _(whoever this one is), _invisible-gurl_, _Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967, nana, easily1994addicted, syahsyira, Drossel Keinz, RockPrincess410_ and _Rin._ Well, you were the ones who made me decide to continue on this one which was originally planned to be just a one-shot fic. Thank you so much. **

**Anyway, let's get on with the story, shall we?**

**Standard disclaimer still applies. The only one I own is Hondou Kazumi and the other OC's of this story and of course, the plot line.**

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**_Tennis courts…_**

Kazumi was panting when she reached the place as fast as she could. It looked like the practice had just began. Maybe she could still have time to talk to Tezuka about the flowers and the notes. Or maybe not just about that. She wanted to tell him everything that she never managed to say to him more than two years ago. This was the only chance that she has for that to happen. She would never let it go.

_Please help me with this…_ she pleaded in her thoughts as she began to look around the tennis courts to find the person she was looking for. She walked as she did so in order not to catch attention. She definitely didn't want anyone to know she was looking for someone. But wasn't that the reason why she headed there?

She continued looking around until her eyes spotted a certain auburn-haired bespectacled boy fired up (even though that fire was only obvious in his eyes) in playing tennis with an upperclassman. Even from her position, she could really see Tezuka's passion in playing tennis. His passion for tennis made her not want to give up playing even though the doctor told her to stop. How could she do that if tennis was one of the things that made her close to Tezuka by heart? How could she stop doing the sport that she loved as much as she loved playing the piano and performing in front of the audience with all her heart?

When she saw Tezuka defeated his upperclassman in that tennis match, that was when she decided to approach him. But for some reason, she couldn't move from her spot at all. It was like something was preventing her to move.

But she has to move or else her one chance of saying everything to Tezuka would slip away.

"Hondou-_san_, it's rare for me to see you here," Coach Ryuzaki suddenly commented that startled her inwardly and made her change her focus from Tezuka. "Is there something wrong? You look pale."

Fuji and the others shifted their focus from the practice matches at the tennis courts to the person that the coach mentioned. It was a surprise to them—except to Oishi—to see Kazumi there. And at that moment, they all thought that something was about to happen on that tennis court that seemingly ordinary day.

Kazumi only showed a smile to Coach Ryuzaki who happened to be her class' math teacher. That was one plausible reason why the old woman knew her name.

"I'm alright, _sensei_. It's just that… I need to talk to someone and he… he happened to be here," she explained, trying so hard not to stammer. At the very least, she didn't stammer and she was thankful for that.

The coach slightly frowned at her answer. "Talk to someone?"

The brunette nodded followed by glancing to Tezuka's position who was busy talking to someone. She then faced the coach. "Would it be okay if I talk to T-Tezuka-_san_ just for a while? I-it's a little important that I talk to him." Her head instinctively lowered as she went on. "I have to talk to him… before I lose all the courage I gathered to do so…"

Now Coach Ryuzaki didn't exactly understand what was going on at first. But when she had a glance at Tezuka's face that showed his surprise through his eyes while facing their direction, that was when she realized what Kazumi meant.

"Go on before something like that happen, Hondou-_san_. I don't want you to leave to Vienna next week with regrets," Coach Ryuzaki said that surprised Kazumi at first. But gladness soon took over the girl's heart and made her smile in gratefulness.

Even though she was terribly nervous inside, Kazumi tried so hard not to let it show. She has to maintain her composure if she wanted to do this right. She might not have another chance to do this again.

But before she could even take one step from her position, she suddenly felt her heart was hurting as if someone gripped it tightly. She felt like she couldn't even breathe because of the gripping pain. Unconsciously, she put her hand to her to her chest and clenched it. As much as possible, she tried to bear the pain even though it was a struggle for her to do so.

"Hondou-_san_, are you alright? Should I call someone to assist you to the infirmary?" Coach Ryuzaki inquired with worries in her voice, especially when she saw Kazumi slowly collapsing to her knees.

But Kazumi stubbornly shook her head as she tried to heave a few deep breaths in order to ease the pain.

"I'll take her there, Ryuzaki-_sensei_," a familiar deep voice suddenly said that made Kazumi raise her head despite the pain she was feeling.

Not just Kazumi, but almost all were surprised to see Tezuka approaching the girl in pain. Apparently, it appeared that the stoic man handed his racket to Oishi before he started walking towards Kazumi. He crouched down on one knee as soon as he stopped walking and faced Kazumi with worried eyes. His face might still be stoic but his eyes never failed to show emotions that Kazumi could clearly see. After all, he was her precious Kuu—the boy who made her love both tennis and music even more. At that moment, she concluded that Tezuka hadn't changed in her perception.

"Can you still stand?" he asked that startled her for a moment before she nodded as an answer.

For some weird reason, even though she was in pain, it didn't even matter to her now that she was looking at Tezuka up close—something she hadn't done in more than two years. The last face which Tezuka made that registered inside her mind was Tezuka's face full of pain and hate as he said those painful words.

She heaved a deep breath even though it was still quivering because she was in pain. Soon after, she stood up with Tezuka's help.

But helping her stand up wasn't the only thing that he did to her, causing her heart to beat faster making it even more painful. He even scooped her up and carried her bridal style, which caused her to blush heatedly, unable to look at anyone so she got no choice but to close her eyes. Of course, it definitely came as a shock to almost everyone who were at the tennis courts at that time and who were witnessing the events slowly unfolding. Without a word from Tezuka, they proceeded to the direction going to the infirmary.

Kazumi loved the warm feeling just being that close to Tezuka again. She couldn't help feeling nostalgic at that. It has been a long time since she had that warm feeling. She couldn't help but to become teary-eyed as memories came flooding in. But it soon came to an end when she suddenly felt Tezuka's hold on her slowly tightening which surprised her. She looked up to see Tezuka's face. It was a surprise for her to see that his stoic face was slowly showing emotions as he looked at her.

Wait! Was he looking at her this whole time?

They stopped to a nearby bench of that particular part of the school. He put her down to seat there. She was breathing slightly heavy, that's why she clenched her chest again. The pain was still there but unlike a while back, she could bear it now. When the pain slightly subsided, she looked up to Tezuka who was just standing in front of her.

"That was the first time you carried me like that…" she started as she slowly looked down. "I remembered that you used to carry me on your back, especially when I tripped because I wanted to catch up with you. I'm not sure if it's worth remembering for you, but it was one of the moments that I still and will treasure here in my heart even if everything comes to an end…" she continued as her voice started to crack because of emotions welling up inside of her. Good thing she managed to start up a conversation even though her courage was slowly faltering because of Tezuka's indifference. She should've expected this but she couldn't believe t would still affect her in a way.

For a few moments, tensed silence surrounded both of them as the afternoon breeze blew forth. It was slightly cold, making her slightly shiver but tried not to show it.

"For two years," Tezuka started almost in a whisper but Kazumi managed to hear. "I've been meaning to ask you something, Kazumi. Why did you suddenly leave me two years ago? What exactly happened for you to do that even though you promised that we'll always be together, that you would be there for me no matter what happens?"

She looked away after he asked that. Tears started forming at the brim of her eyes, that's why she closed it so that it wouldn't fall. She wouldn't let him see those tears.

"Because… I'm a selfish idiot…" she answered as she clenched her chest tighter. Her eyes were tightly shut close. "I left you in exchange of fulfilling my father's dying wish for me. I left you in order to become a better person, especially since I was long sick because of my heart problem. My heart started to become weak when I was 9. That reason made me hide the fact that I can also play tennis just like you. I was forced to mellow down in doing tennis in order for me not to risk my health. My dad wanted me to live longer than him so he said that I should go abroad for me to have a heart operation. I had to do that since my heart had gone weaker than I originally thought it was. I left you so I could at least fulfill my dream of living longer with you. I left you because I wanted to grab the only chance I had for me to fulfill my promise to you. I wanted to be with you for a long time, forever if I have to. I did all of that because of you… I did that because it's the only way for me to prove to you that… I… I love… you…"

After saying all that, she finally allowed her tears to fall incessantly.

"But I guess doing so only caused you pain. I left you two years ago because I love you, even if you didn't know that since I never told you about it. At that time, I was afraid of choosing between fulfilling my promise to you and fulfilling my father's dream for me just before he died. In the end, I was left with no choice but to do so. I know sorry won't even compensate for what I did that hurt you. But I really… I really…" She sighed after sniffling. "I really wanted to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for suddenly leaving you…" After that, she dried her tears that flowed down her cheeks with the sleeve of her uniform. She didn't have time to get her handkerchief since she wanted to dry her tears as soon as she could.

Silence surrounded them once more but Kazumi didn't mind that. Right now, what mattered to her was that she finally said all those things she had been meaning to tell him for so long. It took a lot out of her to say all of those words but she has no regrets. It was about time she let go of all things that she kept inside of her. And telling all of that to Tezuka was the only way for her to do that.

She had no idea how long that silence surrounded her and Tezuka. But it was enough for her to rest and she could feel that her heart wasn't giving her pain anymore. She didn't know why she suffered from heart palpitations and difficulty in breathing all of a sudden after reaching the courts. Thankfully, she was fine now and she managed to talk to Tezuka after struggling to try in doing so for many days.

"Does that mean you're also saying sorry for loving me, Kazumi?" he suddenly asked that surprised her and made her look at him

"No!" she blurted out in surprise. But she didn't mind that. "The only thing I feel sorry about was hurting you and leaving you all of a sudden. But I would never ever say sorry that I love you. In fact, that was the most beautiful thing that had ever happened to me. I love you, Kuu. And if I was given a chance, I would prove it to you. I'll do everything to let you know that I was glad I love you and I'm glad it's you." And her tears fell once again.

But much to her surprise and happiness, Tezuka approached her and using one hand, he wiped the tears that streaked down her face. Slowly, he helped her stand up. And in one swift move, he took her hand and pulled her to an embrace that she had been meaning to feel for a long time.

"If only I had known all that, I wouldn't have said those harsh words to you. We wouldn't have suffered for more than two years. We wouldn't have to struggle this much," Tezuka said as he embraced Kazumi tighter.

The girl couldn't help but to smile while teary-eyed as she relished Tezuka's warmth like that as if fearing that she would never feel it again… ever. She cried even more and returned his embrace in the same degree. She wanted to assure herself of something by doing so.

"It's me who should say sorry for hurting you that way, Kazumi. I was a bastard for doing that to you. I know I'm someone who wasn't even meant for you because I did a lot that eventually caused you pain. But I could never find it in me to give you up like that. I love you so much for me to do that. If I had known all those things you did for the sake of fulfilling your promise to me, I should've said all those words I've been meaning to tell you. I won't mind waiting for you since I love you. You're the only person I've loved this much in my life, Kazumi. I'm sorry for being a jerk to you. I won't hurt you like that again, I promise," Tezuka said in his strong, stern voice. But the sincerity and truthfulness in each words he said were evident in it. Kazumi's heart swelled at that realization.

"All this time, I always thought you're a man of few words. I guess until now, you still are. But then—"

"There's a side of me that tends to change and show itself whenever I'm with you, Kazumi," Tezuka answered. "Back then, I tend to talk a lot whenever we're together. I smiled more often whenever I hear you play the piano or you watching me play tennis. There's a side of me that I can only show to you, Kazumi. Remember that."

Now that she thought about it, he was right. He tend to be more talkative when she was around.

They relished each other's comforting warmth for a few more minutes before he finally let go and looked at her. This time, his eyes were smiling at her. They don't have the pain and sadness in them anymore. His eyes were the same as she remembered them. No… they were even happier than before.

"I'm fine now. You can go back to your practice before your captain scolds you for loitering around," she said with a smile.

Tezuka showed a small smile.

_I guess it'll take me time to at least lessen his stoic attitude, especially in front of many people,_ Kazumi thought while smiling at Tezuka.

"You'll wait for me?" he asked in a whisper and in a hopeful tone.

She smiled a little wide and nodded as an answer. "I'll wait for you. Besides, I still need to give you something before you head home, especially now you told me you love me, too."

Before she knew it, Tezuka lowered his head and planted a soft kiss on her lips that surprised her. Her eyes slightly widened for a few seconds after that quick kiss before he raised his head and looked at her. He touched her cheeks for a few moments before he left her there without a word. Soon after, she smiled as she looked at him walking away.

"You really never ceased to amaze me with your surprises, Kuu…" she muttered with a smile before deciding to head to the infirmary alone so she could at least rest.

Kana and the others would soon know where to find her.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Now that's what I call a unique love story," Miyako commented as she was done watching the events with Kana, Aika, Hanako, Oishi, Eiji, Fuji, Kawamura and Inui.

"_Ii _data..." Inui, as expected, mumbled as he jotted down some notes in his notebook at the fastest speed possible. As he did so, he was thinking of using that new data to at least get even to the stoic tennis player.

Of course, not all would agree to that.

Aika slightly shook her head in disbelief before she faced the five tennis boys. "It's about time you head back to your practice before Hanako here literally kick your butts off and send you flying to the courts."

Eiji just laughed at Aika's remarks but they soon noticed that Inui slightly paled at her words as he instantly stopped writing, especially at the mention of what Hanako might possibly do to them. Aika and Kana laughed at that amusing sight while the others were suspicious.

Kana looked back at Kazumi who was smiling while looking at the sky.

"Love really has its ways of making someone happy, huh?" Kana murmured before walking away. _How I wish I could find a love like that… someday…_ she added in her thoughts as she glanced at Oishi who was busy talking to Kawamura and Eiji. A sad smile soon formed on her face… which was something that Miyako and Fuji noticed.

_Is it me or I just saw Miyuzaki-san looked at Oishi as if she was in love with him and yet… she was hurt, as well?_ Fuji thought as soon as he noticed the look that Kana gave to the unknowing Oishi. _I guess I'll be looking forward for another love story to have a progress. I should've brought my camera with me today._ Oh, well. Maybe he would have a chance to capture another wonderful moment between Tezuka and Kazumi after this. After all, those two were an official couple already, right?

As he was thinking of a way to sneak out and devise a plan to do that, there was a girl that his camera had once managed to capture a beautiful shot since the very first time he saw her. It was such a beautiful shot that—for some reason—he wanted to look at over and over again.

That girl was the academy's "Siren of the Silver Wind"—Yumemiya Miyako. He had a lot of chances to capture wonderful shots of her beautiful and serene face with silver eyes that has hints of… sadness and pain.

Wait a minute! He was only thinking about Tezuka and Kazumi a while back. How come it was diverted to Miyako almost immediately? But then again, Tezuka's mysterious past with Kazumi was already uncovered. Maybe one of these days, Miyako's mysterious past implied by the ice silver color of her eyes would be revealed in time.

Miyako sighed heavily after noticing the look of longing sadness and frustration that Kana gave to the oblivious Oishi. _You've been loving Oishi-kun for a long time, Kana. I can tell that it hurts you too much having the man you love not notice your feelings for him. But this is where you must remain strong. One day… One day, you'll be able to tell him what feeling that lies in your heart which was only for him. Just be patient enough and never give up…_ But then, it wasn't an easy thing for her to even say to her best friend all about that thought. In a way, she could say she was suffering the same predicament as Kana. She had been suffering that ever since since she first saw a certain light brown haired boy named Fuji Syuusuke. A person she considered as someone who was way out of her league in a lot of ways.

But unlike Kana who could approach Oishi in a casual way, Miyako could never do the same to Fuji even if she really wanted to. It wasn't that simple and it would never be that easy at all. Her frustration over that fact was something that she was throwing in her manuscripts. She was a romance novelist, after all.

The mysterious romance novelist Aino Nadeshiko.

It was a fact that only her friends (Hanako, Aika, Kana and Kazumi) knew ever since she started becoming a writer. And it would be one fact that she would hide from the rest of the world…

…even to the person that captured her heart no matter how much she avoided it—Fuji Syuusuke. After all, he was one of the reasons why she was able to write a lot of manuscripts about love.

A love where she always ended them happily…

A love that she wanted for herself to come true…

But it was just a wishful thinking… right?

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Right after the rigorous tennis practice, Tezuka headed to the infirmary since that was where Kazumi was, according to Kana. He began to feel worried for her upon hearing that she was at the infirmary but Kana assured him that Kazumi was okay and that she was just resting there to kill the time.

Kazumi was busy preparing her things when Tezuka arrived there. She greeted him with a smile but then she was surprised at his sudden action—he embraced her tight as if he was afraid of losing her.

"Don't make me worry like that again, Kazumi," he scolded her sternly despite the hints of concern for her in his voice.

Though it was just for a while, both of them relished that embrace.

After the scene at the infirmary, they decided to head to the place that held a special memory to them other than the memorial hall—the lone sakura tree a few yards at the back of the memorial hall that was now starting to bloom fully.

"I haven't been here in a long time," Tezuka started as he looked at the tree that was looking as beautiful as ever.

Kazumi smiled before she focused her attention to the tree, as well. "You know, my father told me a legend of this tree. It was one of the reasons why my great-grandfather bought this land from a wealthy family during his travels as a musician."

"A legend?"

"Yup. A legend that mentions of two hearts who made a promise to love each other and be together forever under this tree. It says that the couple who did the same thing under this tree before the sun finally sets will definitely be together forever. Because of that, this sakura tree was dubbed as _The Lovers' Tree_ and most commonly, _The Promise Tree_. Until now, I still believe in that legend. Not just me. Even Miyako-_chan,_ Kana-_chan_, Aika-_chan_ and Hanako-_chan_ believe in that legend, as well. One day, they wanted to share a promise under this tree that they'll be with the one they love forever." After that, she chuckled a bit and then she faced Tezuka. "But I guess it's a bit childish for me to still believe in it."

"I don't think that's the case at all. Believing in something like a legend about eternal love is definitely just like you, Kazumi," Tezuka said with a small smile on his face. He then faced her with a slight frown on his face this time as soon as he thought of something. "But why are you telling me this?"

Instead of answering his question, she just took something from the light blue paper bag that he (technically) gave her through Kana. He was confused to see a flower on her hand. It was a different flower than the ones he gave to her. It was a long-stemmed cream tulip. Where did she get that?

"I asked Kana-_chan_ a while back to buy me three tulips while I was waiting for you at the infirmary. This is what I want to give to you." And then she handed it to him which he releuctantly took from her since he didn't know what to say. "Its meaning will be my promise to you, Kunimitsu. I'll forever hold on to it and I'll definitely fulfill it until the end."

"Its meaning… is your promise to me?" he muttered in confusion. He has no idea as to what the cream tulip actually represented.

It appeared that Kazumi read his mind despite his naturally stoic expression since she smiled and gave him a peck on his lips that caught him off-guard. And he was caught even more off-guard when she answered the hidden question in his head.

"_I'll love you forever…_ That's what the cream tulip represents. Just give me a chance and I can do that, Kunimitsu. This time, I can definitely fulfill my promise to you no matter what it takes for me to do it," she said seriously.

It took him a while to finally absorb the thought inside his mind. He looked at Kazumi and the cream tulip on his hand simultaneously before he allowed his heart and his body to do something to her. He let his body moved on its own and before he knew it, he found himself kissing Kazumi deeply and lovingly. Oh, how he loved kissing her that way.

It was definitely a dream come true to him to be with her like that again. This time, it was even more wonderful.

"I know you can do it, Kazumi. I won't ever let you go. I'll love you too, forever… I promise," he said with sincerity and determination after the kiss.

Both of them smiled as they embraced each other and relished each other's warmth that they wanted to feel to each other forever. That legendary sakura tree was their witness of that declaration and that promise which would definitely stay in their hearts forever.

"I'll be leaving to Vienna for a week or two, Kunimitsu," she started as she slowly released herself from Tezuka's hold. "I'll be having my check-up there and I need to make sure I'm alright by the time I decided to join the tennis club and play tennis along with Hanako-_chan_ and the others."

"You're really going to join the tennis club?" he asked her, a little unsure about the idea of Kazumi leaving and joining the tennis club despite her condition.

Kazumi smiled gently. "I'll be back here as soon as I'm done with it, okay? And besides, I've mellowed down in playing tennis since I was nine to the point that they told me to stop playing altogether. It's been a long time since I did what they told me. It's about time I do something else that I love other than playing the piano."

"If you're really that insistent, then I won't stop you," he said nonchalantly but she knew better. Behind that nonchalant answer lies his support for her to do what she wanted.

She couldn't help smiling because of that. "Thank you."

All Tezuka could do after she said that was to smile as he pulled her to his embrace once again. He would never ever get tired of feeling her close to him like that no matter what happens. Like what he said, he would love her forever.

And this was just the start of that eternal promise…

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

All the way to the airport, Tezuka didn't let go of Kazumi's hand as the car that they were riding on traversed the road, following the route going to Narita International Airport. It was the day Kazumi would leave and head out to Vienna for her special check-up. Though feeling a little uneasy because of the attention they were getting from Tezuka's actions, Kazumi was still glad.

It had been 2 days since they had got together and it wasn't a surprise for them that the news had spread out like wild forest fire. The news even reached to Ryoma who was residing all the way to America. Now that was something they considered as a surprise.

In any case, the couple got different reactions about that. But the general reaction they got as soon as the news had spread was shock. Extreme surprise, utterly speechless, big shocker—those were just synonyms to what they had actually felt upon learning that. Well, duh? Who wouldn't be? They felt that it would take a miracle for the stoic and composed tennis player of Seigaku named Tezuka Kunimitsu to even fall in love.

And yet, here it was! A girl who had just transferred recently to Seigaku managed to melt Tezuka's heart as he and Kazumi fell in love with each other in the process. But only those who truly knew the story could say that it had been a painstaking process. And they were glad that everything turned out well now. The happiness that both Tezuka and Kazumi were relishing now was something they would never exchange for anything.

Upon reaching the airport, the couple were surprised to see the boys' (all except Ryoma) and girls' (only Hanako, Kana, Aika and Miyako) tennis teams—even the coaches of both teams, Coach Ryuzaki and Coach Nakayama—were actually at the waiting area. All of them had smiles (or in the boys' case, grins) on their faces as the couple could only shook their heads slightly and had no choice but to approach their friends.

"What are you guys doing here? I thought it would still be a hectic schedule for tennis practice today. The ranking tournament is already in a few weeks' time," Kazumi inquired.

"Well, let's just say we couldn't let Tezuka-_san_ have the spotlight of accompanying you here all to himself," Kana joked. Though Tezuka gave her an annoyed look because of that, she could tell that he was glad they had come. "And besides, we need to at least give you a reason to fight and come back here with us."

The brunette sighed before facing her friend. "Kana-_chan_, I'm not going to die there, if that's what you're thinking. I've been fighting this for a long time. I have no reasons for me to give it all up now… especially now…" Kazumi stated seriously before she looked at Tezuka who was, in turn, looking at her intently and with concern for her. She smiled at him after a few moments. "…now that I have retrieved the greatest gift life had ever given me."

"Now that's one line I will definitely include in my new story," Miyako whispered to Aika. She only earned a soft laugh as a comment to that. It was a good thing Miyako was good at whispering. Or else, her secret would probably leaked out.

"Now we know why Tezuka-_buchou_'s heart melted," was a comment they all heard from Momoshiro which broke the trance between the couple. "Even I would fall in love to a girl as sweet and beautiful as Hondou-_senpai_."

"Consider that as a dream," Kaidoh said before he hissed.

_They must be Momoshiro-kun and Kaidoh-kun that Kuu was talking about._ Kazumi could only laugh at that thought along with the start of Momoshiro and Kaidoh's arguing. Then she looked at Tezuka once again. "You know what? I still can't believe everything about right is happening. Are you sure this isn't just a beautiful dream? Am I really standing in the realm of reality?"

But the answer she got was not words but something else. Of course, it existed beyond words as Tezuka pulled her into his arms and gave her a passionate kiss to convey the message he wanted her to know. Everything about them right now was never a dream. This was already the reality… An extremely beautiful reality they would never get tired of living for a long, long time. And she got the message as she responded to his kiss with equal fire and fervor.

All their friends could do at the sight was to gape at first. A few moments later, they were grinning even wider. The coaches could only exchange a look of slight disbelief and a smile of support for their two students showing such affection to the public. The girls were just giggling and slightly squealing at the sight while Inui and Fuji began taking notes and pictures of the scene in front of them respectively. Oh, well. It was something in which only love could do. You would become oblivious of your surroundings as you feel the kiss of your beloved filled with passion, love and hope for a beautiful future.

"Final call for international flight 5628 to Vienna, Austria. Departing from Gate 4…" a voice over the speaker announced and the couple heard it as soon as the kiss ended.

"I love you, Kazu-_chan_. Remember that…" Tezuka uttered lovingly with his face still inches apart from Kazumi.

"Always and forever… I love you too, Kuu…"

The couple smiled one last time as they gave each other a last tight hug which gave them assurance of a beautiful and long lasting reunion after Kazumi's ordeal in Vienna. That tight hug was one thing that held that promise.

A promise of a beautiful and wonderful love for years to come…

…since they vowed to be together and love each other forever, right?

That eternal promise of love would bound their hearts together whatever happens from then on.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**I was also planning to write stories for the other regulars. The pairings will actually go like this:**

**_Fuji Shusuke and Yumemiya Miyako_**

**_Oishi Shuichiro and Miyuzaki Kana_**

**_Kikumaru Eiji and Azuraya Amiko_**

**_Kaidoh Kaoru and Yoshino Hitomi_**

**_Momoshiro Takeshi and Asai Risa_**

**_Kawamura Takashi and Sarasugawa Aika_**

**_Inui Sadaharu and Yamazaki Hanako_**

**Well, you've met Hanako, Kana, Aika and Miyako in this story. As for Amiko, you'll meet her in either Kana or Miyako's story since she has a connection to these two ladies. You'll meet Risa in Hanako's story since Risa is related to Inui. Hitomi will be introduced in her own story or she might appear in any of the seniors' stories. Maybe she will appear in Risa's story, too. It depends. **

**And you might be wondering why I haven't included Ryoma here? Well, I still need to think of a plot for him and his pair (which I'm thinking is either an OC or Sakuno). Well, if you have suggestions for this one, you can PM me or place it on your reviews.**

**Thank you once again for taking your time in reading this one. Review, please! :)**


	6. Tezuka-Kazumi: Classic Love In Spring 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis and its characters. I own the OCs here, though.**

**Warning: Characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.**

…

**CHAPTER 6**

Just like what Kazumi had promised to Tezuka, it only took her two weeks in Vienna in order to finish her monthly check up there with regards to her heart condition. Of course, he was regularly updated with regards to that through the help of her mother who went there with her. Though Tezuka wasn't saying anything, Kazumi could feel that he was worried for her no matter how composed and stoic he was. Besides, she knew him to be someone like that. He cared for her a lot and it was evident to her. Those two weeks hadn't passed by without Tezuka checking out on her situation like every day through e-mail and phone calls. She would've preferred a webcam to communicate through video call with him but he wasn't actually the type who would do that.

Or at least that was what he had told her in secret.

And now she was finally back to Japan. She looked around the airport—specifically to the waiting area—where she might see some people familiar to her and now possibly waiting for her arrival. A smile crossed her face as she nodded once when she saw no one familiar. At the very least, she expected it since she had not mentioned to anyone that she would arrive that day. She was thinking of surprising everyone and somehow, she was hoping it would work.

Carrying her backpack and pulling her trolley bag, she proceeded to get out of the airport. As soon as she got out, sweet spring breeze assaulted her senses with a twist of crisp and slightly cold morning air hovering around. Well, it was a nice morning, to say the least since she had just arrived at six o'clock in the morning. It was also refreshing, she has to admit that. Come to think of it, when was the last time she had that kind of feeling as if everything felt like things would work out fine?

_I haven't felt like this after I left Japan more than two years ago… after I regretted a lot in life because of that._ But this time, she chose not to be bitter about it. She came back, the pain she had suffered was undone because of one person's presence and love that she would never forget whatever happens.

Looking around the area, she was supposed to call for a taxi in order to head home first before heading to Seigaku even though it was Saturday. She knew that the different clubs would start (or some of it had already started a week ago) their recruiting period today. In the tennis club's case (both boys and girls), the ranking competition would start today, as well. From what she had learned from her doctor, he condition was already in a par to someone who had not suffered a congenital heart disease at all. In short, she was back to her normal healthy self.

And to be honest, she was extremely glad with that.

"Kazumi-_san,_" a voice suddenly called out from out of nowhere and disrupted the flow of her thoughts.

Of course, it was a natural reaction for her to frown as she looked around in order to look for the source of the voice. But she knew one thing about it.

It was familiar, no doubt about that. It was just that she couldn't find it in whichever part of her mind the reason why it was familiar. Where could she have heard it?

"More than two years since you left and you have forgotten about me, huh? Talk about being cruel…" That familiar voice spoke again. This time, she was sure it was near.

And she was damn right. Except for the fact that—

_This guy was just too near to me!_ She could've scream that right in front of the guy's face—which turned out to be none other than her cousin from her father's side, Oshitari Yuushi—if she could do so but it would be rude of her. Besides, she was used to this. Oshitari just had the habit of nearing his face to her as if she was going to kiss her or something similar. He said it was a part of a special greeting exclusively for her—whatever that means.

Instead of shouting in front of him, she just gave a slightly disbelieving smile with hints of gladness. He was right, it had been more than two years since she last talked to Oshitari. She unconsciously cut ties with anyone in Japan after she headed off to America before.

"You know, Yuushi-_kun_, if you don't get rid of your suffocating face in front of me, I will bump my head to your nose and face," she jokingly threatened. In a way, Oshitari took that message quite seriously though he knew it was a joke. This was his cousin she was talking about, after all. His tough and yet gentle cousin who managed to surpass the trials of death and now continuing to live.

Oshitari distanced himself from Kazumi a bit before he took her trolley bag from her hold and walked towards the opposite direction.

"_Oi_, Yuushi-_kun_, where are we going?" Kazumi asked as she tried to keep up with her cousin. To her irritation, he didn't even look back at him to at least answer her question. _Why do I have a cousin who's so full of himself and who thinks he's cooler than any other guy around?_ And she couldn't even understand how she managed to keep up with that all this time. Scratch the fact that they were related. Keeping up with his personality was—in a way—obligatory if it was family relation they were talking about.

"We still need to go somewhere before you head to Seigaku," Oshitari said without looking back.

At the tone of his voice, Kazumi could sense it was important. As she continued to look at Oshitari's back since they were just a meter apart, the answer to her question as to how important the issue was illustrated on it. He knew how important it was to her, as well.

"How did you know I'll be going to Seigaku today?" Yeah, it was a question that suddenly hit her.

That was when Oshitari stopped walking which also made her stop. A few seconds later, he faced her with a knowing—and at the same time, sly—smile that was too familiar to her. Just how many times she had seen that smile before? She already lost count.

She raised her eyebrow. "Don't tell me the news reached Hyotei already?" It was a statement rather than a question, though.

"Like wildfire, my dear cousin," Oshitari answered with a grin wider than how it was a while back.

All she could do to that was to sigh. "I should've known," was all she could say after that. "And then? How did that egoistic Atobe-_san_ react to the news as soon as he heard it?"

"Shell shocked would've been an understatement, I suppose. He was a little frustrated and I think I have to add infuriated, as well."

"Infuriated? I guess I can understand why considering the rivalry between Atobe-_san_ and Kunimitsu. But frustrated? Why would he?"

"Because Tezuka managed to have a girlfriend ahead of Atobe despite the former being stone-cold and stoic all over. No offense," he answered a bit mockingly but with a sincere smile on his face. Kazumi wasn't just sure is it was meant for Tezuka or for her.

_Or for himself…_ Of course. How could she forget that? Oshitari had a bit of an egotistical personality, too.

Okay… maybe not just a little bit.

"Satisfied with the way Atobe-_san_ was pissed and frustrated as soon as you delivered the news to him?" she asked as she continued to walk beside him. Oshitari, too, resumed his walk.

An even wider grin of satisfaction appeared on his face. At that moment, she perfectly knew the answer. Her cousin got more than what he really wanted as soon as the deed was done.

"You're impossible…" she muttered with a smile.

"Seems to me you got the same thing as I did, Kazumi," he said in a tone so serious it was obvious that he didn't need to demand for an answer. She knew because he called her by her name without the honorifics they used to piss off each other—which was a failure from the start, anyway.

"You could tell, huh?" she said before sighing inwardly and then she smiled. "I just hope it would be a lifetime satisfaction, though."

Oshitari frowned at the sad and slightly doubtful—not to mention insecure—voice of his cousin. "What do you mean?"

"I'm scared of losing him again, Yuushi," she sadly admitted. "I don't want to go through the same pain again. I don't want to relish those excruciating days where I have to wallow in misery and regret over and over. I just don't want to go through that anymore. I'm tired of all that." And before she knew it, hot tears streaked down her cheeks that already blurred her sight. But she didn't care. After all, Oshitari knew. In a way, he could feel it, too.

He saw Kazumi in that state once and to be honest, he didn't want to have a glimpse of that agonizing state ever again.

They stopped in front of a white van and let go of Kazumi's trolley bag as soon as he let it stood. Without a word, he pulled her into a tight embrace that he usually gave her whenever she wanted to cry because he outwitted her in something. This time, however, his embrace had a purpose of dissipating her fear of losing her beloved Tezuka again. It only proved how much Kazumi loved that stoic Seigaku tennis player.

"You won't lose him, Kazumi. I can promise you that," he assured her.

A smile crept on the brunette's face despite the tears continuing to fall. Yes, she had an idea on how much Seigaku hated Hyoutei's guts to many extents and vice versa. And yes, the fact that she was a part of Seigaku and Oshitari was from Hyoutei wasn't denied, as well. But at that moment, school rivalry didn't even matter to her. The one embracing her right now was just Oshitari Yuushi, he cousin that loved her and supported her during those crucial times, even without her answering any of his calls and e-mails to her before. He just said and wrote those words of support, of encouragement, of finding her life again after losing it.

In a way, it helped. But even though she wished, it didn't help that much.

"Thank you, Yuushi… so much…" she said sincerely.

After all, those were the words she never got to say to Oshitari despite all those things that he had done for her. It was about time she let him know how thankful she was for his efforts.

"Come on, let's go. We don't want to stay in this place a little longer or the sun will be too hot for your sensitive skin," Oshitari said after releasing her from his embrace. This, of course, made Kazumi laugh a bit since it was a little unusual for him to use the sensitivity of her skin to the sun as an excuse of some sort.

The only answer she had to that was a light punch to his arm as they entered the van and went to the place where they were supposed to go that day. She guessed that going to Seigaku could wait for a bit.

…..

However, only doing so would appear to be her biggest mistake… and the start of another reason for her to suffer. Kazumi realized that two days after that encounter at the airport.

Of course, at first she had no idea about it. After all, her arrival and surprise visit to Tezuka's tennis practice did its job. The sparkle in his eyes was priceless the moment he saw her. But as she had expected, he didn't show it to others, especially his friends who were obviously ready to record whatever reactions he would show. Right after his tennis practice, the two of them went home together—alone. She thanked Kana afterwards for creating a good diversion and escape plan for her and Tezuka to have "alone time" together without the interruptions of his friends, especially Fuji and Inui—the master blackmailers of Seigaku, as Hanako once pointed out.

Two days after the airport encounter, she headed back to school for class. It was a good thing the teachers gave her advance lessons for her to review and study on so that she wouldn't miss any lessons just in time for her return from Vienna. But as she entered the school building, she couldn't help feeling a bit weird—or a bit would be an understatement—upon noticing that the students were actually looking at her as if she was some sort of a specimen under a microscope. Not only that, they looked at her with a mixture of disgust, hate and… pity?

Wait just a freaking minute! _What in the world is going on around here? Why are they like this? _Kazumi thought, starting to feel scared for some reason. She looked down—even though she didn't want to do so—because she wanted to avoid their stares as much as possible. _I don't like this… I don't like being looked at like this._

It was then that she realized the reason why all of this uncomfortable—and at the very least, suffocating—atmosphere hovering around the place.

How did something like that happen? She didn't know, she couldn't figure out. And worse, all of them misunderstood the situation. This couldn't be right, she knew that. But that wasn't how it looked like to the others. To them, this was an opportunity… one that could destroy everything. At least to her…

At that instant, she felt her heart beating fast again. And what was worse, it was beating irregularly. She didn't want that feeling again. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

"Kazu-_chan_? Are you alright? Why are you pale?"

That voice brought her back to her senses but the look on the students' eyes as she walked towards the classroom was something she couldn't take. What was supposed to be just a normal walk became a stride just to get away from those judgmental eyes as if she had done something terrible—totally unacceptable would have been the precise word.

How did that happen? How come a picture of her and his cousin Oshitari was taken during the time he embraced her at the airport? And now it was scattered throughout the school. Who the hell did that?

"I never thought she's such a flirt. Tezuka-_sama_'s already her boyfriend and yet she's seeing another guy."

"Yeah. And it's from Hyotei at that. How terrible."

"Just what is she trying to prove, anyway? That she's beautiful enough to have the attention of any guy she wants?"

"Well, it's for the best if Tezuka-_sama_ did break up with her after that. That way, we could still have a chance to be his girlfriend."

"I would be very glad if he broke up with her in public and let the others know it's over already."

_Please… stop…_ Kazumi wanted to voice—or specifically scream—that out to those people taunting her with those words enough to stab her to the core. But at that moment, she couldn't find her voice to do so. Those words somehow caused her to feel weak all over.

And afraid, as well. Completely afraid.

Those voices continued to taunt her. But it would appear that her mind shut down the moment she saw that one picture—a picture that would probably be more than enough to ruin everything. Even though she chose to put her faith on Tezuka that he would demand an explanation (in a figurative sense) as to how that picture came to be, that faith was slowly faltering as each seconds passed by. There was no knowing what could possibly happen if that picture reached Tezuka.

"Will you please stop with your nonsense blabbering as if you're so good and perfect like pure angels?"

Kazumi was startled upon hearing that voice. It was the same voice that called out to her earlier and asked her if she was alright. It was then that she finally recognized it as Kana's. She blankly peered at her red-haired friend who had now cast a sharp glare to each and every one of their classmates. Kana was terribly angry at the situation, she could feel it. Kana's expression was stern and undoubtedly cold. It had been a long time since she last saw her childhood friend like this.

"Miyuzaki-_san_, stop defending her all the time. Didn't you see the picture? Isn't that enough for you to realize what kind of slut your friend is? I'll be more than glad if Tezuka-_sama_ broke up with her after all that," the girl said with a sneer and looked at Kazumi.

But what came next had definitely surprised all of them. A thud on the cold floor, along with the clattering of the seats resounded in that room after someone slapped that girl so hard she was knocked over. It was followed by feeling a dark aura coming from one person they least expected to show such anger enough to scare everybody.

"M-Miyako-_chan_…?" was all Kazumi managed to utter after recovering from shock.

Yes, Miyako was a reserved person but still friendly in some sense. And it was a shock for her to see this blonde girl to suddenly burst out like that. What was even worse, not only their class saw Miyako's deed but also some students from the other class, as well.

"What do you think you're doing?" a deep, stern voice resonated throughout the room that froze Kazumi to her seat and made her unable to look up. It was a familiar voice, no doubt.

She just talked to him last night, didn't she? His voice resounded in her mind as she remembered their conversation last night, especially when they exchanged their good-night's and I-love-you's to each other and it was enough to complete her day. Her exhaustion from the travel immediately faded after that exchange of sweet words.

_Kunimitsu…_ She wanted to utter his name and call him out. She wanted to make sure everything would still be okay.

That was when she finally raised her head and looked up. As soon as his brown eyes clashed with her emerald ones, every hope that she had in her heart faded. Whatever Tezuka was thinking, it was evident that he made a resolve to it. No one could possibly defy that.

_Not even me… I know it… I can feel it…_

"Tezuka-_sama_, did you see that? Did you see what she did to me?" the girl asked hopefully (trying to be sympathetic, of course) as she tried to stand up from being knocked over by Miyako. "This girl pushed me! And here I thought she was brought up properly."

"I did? Oh, I'm sorry. I must have hit the wrong seat and let it be thrown to you. I was so sure I was about to hit my own seat because of anger and frustration." Miyako obviously couldn't hide the sarcasm in her voice as she said those words. Most of the class shuddered at that. Miyako still had that cold exterior as she faced the talkative and crazy Tezuka fangirl with a sharp glare. Her silver eyes looked like eyes to the others.

Hanako, Kana and Aika were serious. None of them did anything to at least prevent Miyako's outburst. At the very least, they were expecting this.

"Next time you talk like that about Kazumi-_chan_, don't expect I'll be holding myself back from hitting your face a hundred times over. What I did to you a while back was still out of respect to my friends who didn't want me to hurt anyone in a disgracing manner," Miyako said threateningly as she gave one last glare to the girl before she walked with heavy (and obviously angry) footsteps and ice cold expression on her face.

As expected, most of the students felt and icy chill that coursed through their spines because of that. Even Oishi, Eiji and Kawamura felt that same icy chill. Inui was just scribbling something down on his notebook. Fuji's eyes opened at the sight of Miyako heading towards Tezuka (who was still stoic) and stopped to his side.

The _tensai_ couldn't figure out what Miyako had said to Tezuka at that close distance. But it was surely enough to make the stoic man even more serious than before. (Not that he could tell the difference since Tezuka was stoic whatever happens, but the aura hovering around told him about that) In fact, if he wasn't mistaken, Tezuka's eyes narrowed as if he was angry—no, enraged would have been the perfect word to describe his expression.

_I wonder what could have Yumemiya-san said to Tezuka for him to be like that?_ Fuji could only ask to himself since he couldn't really figure out the answer to that. He wasn't that good in lip reading at that particular point of that time since it appeared that Miyako whispered whatever words she had spoken to Tezuka. Whatever it was, though, was surely enough to stir Tezuka from within.

After that, Miyako went out of the room; her cold expression never left her face. His gaze never left her until after she disappeared from his sight. But that wasn't what he has to worry about right now. Tezuka and Kazumi's relationship was definitely hanging in a thread.

All because of a picture he has no idea of knowing where it came from. But it surely was enough to stir up the entire high school freshmen population in commotion (1). And at that moment, he was sure of one thing. It won't let Tezuka just sit in one corner and do nothing about it. After all, this was Kazumi they were talking about.

As for the concerned stoic bespectacled tennis player, he just stood to his spot for several more seconds as he stared at the brown-haired girl that had become a victim of a rumor. Tezuka has no knowing whether that picture shoved to his face by some guy was authentic or not. But at that moment, it didn't even matter. All he had to care about at that moment was to ease his girlfriend's fears and worries.

But... how was he supposed to do that?

How would it be possible... if Kazumi won't even look at him?

_Why won't you look at me, Kazumi?_

Kana approached Kazumi to her seat. The brunette was looking down and won't even face Tezuka at all. But from that alone, she could tell that Kazumi was... scared as hell.

"Both of you need to get out of here to have some privacy. I don't think this will be a short talk at all," was all that Kana said as she patted Kazumi's back a bit. "I'll just say you call in sick today just in case Nakayama-_sensei_ looked for you. Okay?"

Kazumi could only look at her friend with a slight feeling of hesitancy and fear in her eyes. But then maybe it was for the best if she did talk to Tezuka about the issue. Though somehow, she was having a really bad feeling about it. She just couldn't point her finger to it.

Without a word, Tezuka turned around and walked away from there. But soon after, he halted to a stop.

"Meet me there after school," Tezuka said without looking at Kazumi.

She couldn't help feeling something as if someone grasped her heart and tightly clenched it. Why…? Why won't he look at her now? She was supposed to accept Kana's suggestion that they should talk it out as soon as possible—before everything went worst. But now…

"I can't believe that iceberg!" Hanako hissed, shaking her head. "He just said 'meet me there' without even saying where. How was Kazumi-_chan_ supposed to know that place without even a single clue about the location?"

Good thing Tezuka and the other tennis players were out of the room before Hanako burst it out like that.

"I guess returning here was a bad idea after all…" Kazumi mumbled most likely to herself before she allowed her tears to fall freely.

Unfortunately for her, Kana and the others heard it. They were supposed to ask her about it when they saw Kazumi immediately stood up from her seat and ran towards the door. She slid it open and went out of the room to look for Tezuka and talk to him now.

_I can't… I can't let it continue like this. I have to explain! I have to tell him the truth. Two years of suffering is more than enough. I don't want to have a repeat of that again._

But not all things would flow smoothly like how she wanted it to be.

…**.**

**Note:**

**1… The main characters here are in first year high school in this story. Just thought I'd clear that up.**

…

**I know you want to kill me since it took a while before I posted this chapter. School work really frustrates the hell out of me. Just leave your reviews about this. They're very much appreciated. :)**


	7. Tezuka-Kazumi: Classic Love In Spring 7

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis and its characters. I only own the OC's of this story.

**Warning:** Characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC

**-x-x-**

**CHAPTER 7**

Going out of the classroom was surely easy. Looking for him was also since since he stood out from the rest of the male students who were currently on that floor. But approaching Tezuka with all the intention to clear up some misunderstanding had never been this hard at all. Kazumi's heart was pounding wildly, hammering inside her chest like crazy. But the way her heart pounded now wasn't exactly a good feeling at all. In fact, she felt something foreboding the moment she saw him turn around and walked away from her classroom.

She didn't know the reason why she felt something like that. But Kazumi chose not to pay attention to it as of now. She knew where his classroom was and so he headed there. And just as she expected, she saw him about to enter the classroom.

"Kunimitsu!" she called out in a moderate tone, just loud enough for him to probably hear.

Tezuka stopped to his tracks but didn't even throw at least a glance at her. Of course, she was hurt with that.

With a heavy sigh, she stepped towards Tezuka as she tried to gather what little courage she had left in her. "C-can we talk… please?" Those words came out slightly cracking from her lips. Her voice was starting to quiver, as well. But she has to stand firm. She has to.

"Just meet me there after school. I already said that, right?" he said after a few moments of tensed silence.

"But I can't wait till after school, okay?! I need to fix this before I… I…" But no more words wanted to come out after that sudden outburst. "Please… Please listen to me. I'm only asking that from you." Her words almost seemed like begging to Tezuka. But with the situation she was currently dealing with, she definitely needed to beg. She just had the urge to do so.

But all that greeted her once again was Tezuka's indifference and his inability to look at her in the eyes. Why was he like this?

"We'll just meet later. Right now, I need some time to think things through. I hope you… understand that," Tezuka said in a soft tone.

But that was not what had made her frown a bit. It was his voice that has a twinge of hurt. Knowing that he was serious about this, she just smiled—albeit a painful and sad one that Tezuka didn't miss.—and nodded slowly before she turned her back away and left him standing there.

However, doing so only made her remember the night she lost Tezuka more than two years ago. Only this time, she was the one who was walking away from him. She didn't want to, but she felt like the past was about to repeat itself because of this.

**-x-x-**

All Tezuka could do was to look down as he heaved a sigh so heavy it felt like he was lifting the world on his shoulders. He didn't mean to shove off Kazumi like that even though she was begging—ar at least that was how it sounded when she spoke those words—to talk to him. But he wasn't lying when he said he needed time to think things through. He needed all the time to do so before he could finally face Kazumi.

But saying that felt like it was a mistake, especially when he saw the hurt in her eyes and the pained smile on her lips. He felt his heart being gripped tight and wrung it hard that his strength and his life was slowly drained from him. Of all things he wanted to do, hurting Kazumi in any way at all wasn't a part of it. And yet he couldn't believe he just did that.

Maybe… Maybe all he could bring to her life was pain and more hurt.

Maybe Miyako was right.

Maybe he wasn't the right person who could stop Kazumi from feeling so much pain. But he couldn't find it in him to let her go at all—just like what he wrote to the letter almost a month ago. Call him selfish for it but he really felt it that way. There was no way he would let go of one of the few people who could make him happy for a long time. He won't let go of Kazumi ever.

But as he kept on remembering what Miyako had said to him a while ago, he was then starting to doubt himself if he could still hold on to that resolve till the end…

**_-Flashback-_**

_With a cold exterior and blank silver eyes, Miyako started walking away from the girl who said those nasty words to Kazumi. To be honest, Tezuka had the strong urge to hurt that girl and he has the ability to do so. But from the start, it wasn't in his moral code. And he was not raised to hurt anyone (in a physical sense) so he controlled his anger and chose not to do anything._

_But not doing anything turned out to be a wrong move. Or at least, that was how Miyako viewed it._

_And now the said girl was approaching him. Yes, he could tell that because she was staring at him despite those blank eyes that were still fierce and strong enough for him to feel a different type of coldness from her. He never saw Miyako like this, not even once. But then he realized that he didn't really know Miyako at all except for the fact that she was a tennis player even during middle school and that she was Kana's childhood friend, as well._

_Miyako stopped beside him and without looking at him, she spoke in the softest tone possible but still loud enough for him to hear._

"_To be honest, I don't know what to do with you. How could you let this happen? You had the chance a while back to help Kazumi, to defend her from those jerks. Yet all you did here was to stand outside the classroom and listen to those girls say something to your girlfriend who was obviously hurt and numb from all this. I thought you love her. I thought you wouldn't let anything else hurt her in any way at all. But what are you doing now?" Miyako paused and heaved a sigh. "You know what? If you don't do anything to end this, I think it's better that you end every connection you had with Kazumi. Don't put her in a situation where she had to get hurt again. If you really love her that much, do something before I push you away from her. Don't think I'm joking because I have to tell you, I meant every word I said. Fix this if you don't want to lose Kazumi again…"_

_And with that, Miyako left his side. He heard the door slide open and close but he just chose not to pay attention to it._

**_-End of flashback-_**

From the way Miyako had spoken those words, he could tell that she was provoking him to do something—to end this commotion before Kazumi would get hurt even further. And if nothing was done… He shook his head slightly to shove off those unpleasant thoughts of "what if's" from his mind. He couldn't lose Kazumi in any way at all. And if ever he lost her for the second time, life wouldn't be the something Tezuka would anticipate to live for. He didn't want to isolate himself from the rest of the world again. Or at least, he didn't want to isolate his heart for that matter.

"Tezuka, class is starting," Oishi reminded the stoic man despite the worries he felt for his teammate. At the very least, he knew what Tezuka was feeling at the moment but he didn't have the energy to say it straight to his face.

With one look towards the direction that Kazumi headed, Tezuka heaved a sigh and went inside the room. He didn't want to feel this excruciating hurt and guilt any longer knowing he had somehow hurt her because of not obliging to her wish to talk to him. In addition to that, he has to do something to end whatever he was feeling right now because of that picture. Just remembering that picture even though he just had a single glimpse of it made his blood boil somehow. His fist tightened even more as his lips were pressed into a thin line (though it was indiscernable) because of unexplained fury inside of him just wanting to come out.

It was a good thing he has good control over his emotions. He had that ability for so many years now. That ability enabled him to hide the truth about what he really felt over so many things. Right now, he has to put a good use of that ability just until lunch time.

He would end this as soon as she could.

**-x-x-**

But when lunch time finally came, Tezuka realized that his resolve to end it would shatter in front of him as a news reached him the moment Eiji entered the room.

"_Nya_! Tezuka, Miyuzaki-_chan_ said that Hondou-_chan_ went missing after she went out of their room two hours ago!" Eiji was in a frantic mode that it didn't came late to Tezuka what could it have possibly meant, even though the words that fully registered in his mind were only Kazumi's last name and the word "missing". Of course, the rest of them were surprised to hear that.

Without a word, he bolted out of the room and headed straight to Kazumi's classroom with his heart pounding in his chest loudly. He ignored his friends calling out his name. All that mattered to him was to know if Kazumi really went missing and where could she possibly go at this moment. As he continued to run in order to reach the room to know the truth, his mind kept on wishing for one thing…

…over and over.

_Don't leave me again, Kazumi. Please don't go away…_

But a strong wish like his seemed to be something that wouldn't come true. He found that out the moment he reached his destination. Class 1-3, Kazumi's classroom.

"She's not here," was all the words he heard from a distraught Hanako before he turned around and took off again.

Classes could wait but Kazumi and her explanation couldn't. He has to find her before he ended up with another regret and hurt that would haunt him surely for the rest of his life.

As he reached the school gate, however, he halted to a stop upon immediately seeing a familiar figure leaning on that wall. But that figure didn't belong to Kazumi, though.

It belonged to the person that has become the reason for this commotion to start. But he could be the victim of the circumstances, as well. That person was Hyotei's _tensai_—Oshitari Yuushi.

"What are you doing here?" he asked coldly, without a care if he could still control his emotions in front of this guy.

To his surprise, Oshitari's usual expression didn't appear. In fact, the Hyotei's _tensai_'s face was serious—too serious, for that matter.

"I need to talk to you."

**-x-x-**

**There's chapter 7, even though it was so short. Please review!**


	8. Tezuka-Kazumi: Classic Love In Spring 8

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis and its characters. Even the song "After All" by Peter Cetera and Che that I featured here doesn't belong to me at all. I only own the OC's of this story and the plot.

**Warning:** Characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC

**HERE'S THE REPLIES TO YOUR REVIEWS ABOUT CHAPTER 7:**

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: **Thanks for reviewing. I'm really glad you like it.

**lynnnie: **I ended it that way since my mind wasn't exactly functioning right when I wrote that. As for not updating soon, sorry about that. I was also busy updating my other stories and focusing on school so updating soon is not exactly possible. But I hope you will still like this chapter… even though this is already the end. Hehe!

**TohruKur:** Well, her reaction was most likely stemmed from what had happened in the past. It was the part where she has to leave Tezuka and the pain she suffered because of that decision. What she did back then somehow weakened her in so many ways—particularly in emotional aspects. Because of that, she had trouble brushing off those people spreading the rumors even though she clearly knew (and even her friends knew) that Oshitari Yuushi's her cousin. One characteristic of Kazumi is that she's not exactly someone who would instantly make herself deaf when it comes to rumors that will surely affect her, unlike Miyako and Kana who were both raised to learn the ability to become cold hearted in an instant. She needed a sort of shield for her to feel assured that whatever people say to her will not affect her at all. Her friends and family provided her that shield but she also knew that it won't exactly last that long. She must create that shield on her own. It will take her time before she could do that, though. Maybe a supplementary story or a sequel could do that. I still need to plan that one out. I hope the explanation cleared things up.

**miko647635: **Hmm… something did happen but not exactly something dangerous or anything. Well, you'll find out what exactly happened to her in this chapter. I hope you like it.

**Arcatamous: **Well, romantic and sad stories seemed to have become my specialty in some ways. Hehe! Thanks for reviewing this story, by the way. And thanks for reviewing my POT/DC crossover story, as well. I really appreciate it. I thought no one would review that story anymore even though it's in the crossover section. And for that, I present this to you. Here's the last chapter for this story.

**breezes:** I guess I could only say thank you for loving this story. I hope you will still like it even though this chapter will be the last already. I also hope you will read my other stories and if you have time, review on them, as well. Well, that is if you have time.

**-x-x-**

**CHAPTER 8**

"Talk to me? About what?" But then Tezuka thought that it was probably one of the stupidest questions he could have ever asked to someone in his life. He had the urge to kick himself—if that was even possible—because of that. Of course, he could already tell the reason why Oshitari wanted to talk to him. His serious face was already telling him everything he needed to know.

"I know where she is. But before I tell you where, we need to talk. After all, I made a promise to her," Oshitari said in a solemn tone which further heightened his curiosity as to what could possibly be the issue needed to be talked about.

"What do you mean?" Tezuka could only ask nonchalantly. He could not force the truth—if ever Oshitari was telling the truth about having an idea to where Kazumi was—out of the guy even if he had the ability to do so.

Oshitari toook a deep breath first before anything else. If he wanted to let it all out to Tezuka in one shot, he needed all the courage he could have in order for him to do it. One way or another, he has to fulfill his promise to his cousin who was all confused and scared right now because of that damn picture. Whoever took that would surely pay dearly, he would make sure of that.

"Whatever it is that you have seen in that photo, there is a reasonable explanation for that," Oshitari started and looked up to the sky. "Did Kazumi ever tell you the day her father died two years ago?"

But no reply came from the stoic man. Now that Tezuka thought about it, Kazumi never told him anything about her father other than the fact that Hondou Douji wanted his daughter to fulfill his part of their dream, forcing her to leave him.

With a sigh, he replied bitterly. "No, she didn't. She never told me about it at all." Well, he couldn't help it. How come Kazumi never mentioned such details about her life? He frowned upon suddenly realizing something.

How did that connect to Tezuka and Kazumi's current issue?

Oshitari smiled—albeit sadly—as he heard Tezuka's answer. "Her mother told me that Kazumi would arrive in Japan earlier than planned. So before my cousin went to Seigaku, I decided to accompany her to the cemetery—to where _Ojii-chan _and Douji-_ojisan_ were buried. That's the reason why I was with Kazumi that day."

Well, that surely explained the answer to one of the questions that was lingering in his mind. But another question was added the moment the words registered fully.

_Cousin? Who in the world was he talking about? And he even called Kazumi's father oji-san. Does that mean…?_

"Kazumi's father and my mother are siblings. In short, Kazumi is my maternal cousin while I'm his paternal cousin," Oshitari stated plainly but with intensity, as if he was just stating the weather forecast. And yet the serious atmosphere around the blue-haired tensai did not diminish at all, even though Tezuka could sense that it was starting to get a bit calmer after that.

Before he could say something with regards to that, Oshitari spoke once again.

"What you saw in that photo was true. I did embrace her because I wanted to comfort her. It's the only way I know at that time. That's when I made a promise to her—that I'll make sure she won't lose you again."

Of course, what the blue-haired _tensai_ said had definitely shocked Tezuka to an extent. But from those words alone, he figured it out—what Kazumi was really afraid of. It was that fear that made her approach him a while back before class. And yet…

"You can ask her the full details if you want to know more about that. I know you're one person she would never lie to. Yes, she kept the truth from you about her departure's reason more than two years ago. But she never said something that would amount to a lie. Am I right?"

Tezuka stopped for a moment as he thought about it.

"As I thought," Oshitari added with a smirk. "Well, she's in the chateau located at the edge of Haido City's 5th district. She hadn't left that place until now, I believe." And with that, Oshitari started walking away. But then he stopped walking when he was about a meter away from the school gate. "Tezuka, I want you to promise me something."

"As long as I can do it," Tezuka replied. It was the truth. He would never make a promise unless it was within his capabilities of fulfilling it. He wasn't the type of person who would make a promise just for the heck of it.

"Don't you dare try to hurt my cousin again. As much as you can, and if you really love her, don't leave her side. Make her happy… just like her happiness she was showing before she left us more than two years ago. Whatever happens, I only want you to bring back the old Kazumi. I want you to be with her and love her the same way she loves you all this time. If you can do as much, I won't interfere with whatever plans you have for her, as long as it would make her happy. Can you promise me that?"

Oshitari wasn't facing Tezuka, so it was obvious that the latter didn't have any idea as to what exactly was in the mind of Hyotei's _tensai_. Even still, he could tell one thing. Oshitari wasn't begging for an answer. He just needed a confirmation, along with the idea of Oshitari entrusting Kazumi's happiness to him.

It was obvious if he would read Oshitari's words carefully. Not that he was oblivious as to what it actually meant, though. Of course, Tezuka had to thank Kazumi to that. Because of her, he was able to understand a lot about the world he was living in. Because of her, he was able to open up his heart and took it out from the deepest part of his world, out of the darkness where it resided ever since he had hurt her and she left. To be honest, he wanted to explore more of that new world she had opened up for him.

But he wanted to do that with the person who opened it up for him. He wanted to explore and live in that world with Kazumi alone.

He fixated his gaze onto Oshitari who then returned his gaze at him. The intensity in them was something he hadn't seen from him before. This wasn't the same intensity he could see when tennis was involved. It was different—too different but in a good way. A difference that only both of them could understand.

"You don't have to worry. Whether you tell me that or not, I'll still do it. I don't want the same thing from two years ago to happen again," Tezuka answered truthfully which earned him a smirk from Oshitari. "But I also want you to promise me one thing."

"As long as it's within my reach."

"Keep this conversation we had from everyone—including Atobe." His voice was serious and firm. And it was different from Oshitari's perception, as well.

"I'll do it, but only for Kazumi's sake. I don't want Atobe to do something about her that's going to cause her uneasiness or pain. Not on my watch," Oshitari assured him. "But when I'm not around, make sure you do that job for me. I have to tell you; Atobe already knows you have a girlfriend. And he was somewhat frustrated because of that. There's no knowing what could possibly be running in that guy's mind now that this news had spread like wildfire."

Tezuka only gave Oshitari a nod before he took off and headed to the direct that the latter pointed out. As he continued to run like devil himself was chasing him, he tried to recall something from his conversation with that Hyotei _tensai_. Oshitari said that Kazumi was in the chateau located at the edge of the city's fifth district. But if he wasn't mistaken, that place belonged to the Hondou family. In fact, it was Hondou Renji's residence and Kazumi's favorite place. It was the place which held a lot of meaning to her.

And also, it was the place where he realized the truth hidden in his heart—the truth that only one person had managed to figure out…

**-x-x-**

**_Flashback…_**

_Just like what Tezuka used to do after school and before going home, he headed to the tennis courts at the back of the memorial hall. And yes, he chose to have tennis there along with Miyuzaki Takumi who had already became his friend since their very first match. He knew that today was Takumi's last day in Tokyo because tomorrow, he would be heading to America in order to prepare for the US Open._

_Yes, he envied Takumi's accomplishments on that field and he would never deny that. But of course, he doesn't have any plans of revealing it to him, as well._

_Though before he could enter the tennis courts, a girl with long and straight blood-red hair greeted him with a smile. At first, he has no plans of talking to him, thinking that the girl might be someone who had some sort of attraction or attachment to him. In other words, a fangirl. But soon after, he scratched that thought out when he had managed to take a good look at the girl's features. To his surprise, she has resemblances to—_

"_You're Tezuka Kunimitsu-san, aren't you? Onii-san's stoice friend whose personality can be compared entirely to an iceberg."_

_How he wanted to drop anime style at that moment but tried not to for the sake of composure. Seriously, does this girl had no idea on how to drop the bomb discreetly? Not to mention, she was a little blunt that Takumi, providing that this red-haired girl was Takumi's sister._

_The girl giggled at the surprised expression—no matter how slight—that had crossed Tezuka's face. "My name is Miyuzaki Kana, Takumi-oniisan's little sister. I'm actually the fourth child since Takumi-oniisan has a twin sister who's older than him by 2 minutes and 56 seconds. My eldest brother is 4 years older than Takumi-oniisan."_

_Well, that was… informative. Come to think of it, Takumi didn't mention anything about his siblings at all. But he has no time to give too much thought about that. By the way, why in the world was Kana meeting him instead of Takumi?_

"_If you're looking for Takumi-oniisan, he said that you should head to the chateau located at the edge of the 5th district of Haido City. For once, he wanted to have a man-to-man conversation with you… whatever that means. Or at least that's what he wanted me to tell you."_

_Of course, what Kana said made him frown. A man-to-man conversation? Now that was new. But even though Kana had a smile like that on her face, there was something in that smile that made him realizes the truth behind her words. There was something on that chateau that Takumi wanted him to see as that "man-to-man conversation" would go along._

_With that, he asked Kana's help for the direction going to the chateau in which she provided to him a little too glad for his taste. He could just walk to go there but it would surely take up much time. Taking a train ride would probably be just fine if he wanted to hurry up going there._

_In the end, he chose to do the latter. That "man-to-man conversation" idea was surely working too much in his mind. He needed to stop that as soon as he could._

_Twenty minutes was all that it took to reach his destination. Much to his amazement, it was probably one of the grandest chateau he had ever seen standing in the city. He didn't know such chateau existed there until now. Ad from outside, he could already feel that it was "homey", as people called it. It was beautiful—for the lack of the better word, which was weird of him._

"_Yo, Tezuka-kun!" was Takumi's immediate greeting to him with a wide grin and waved a salute at him as soon as he opened the gate leading to the chateau's front garden. He didn't need to push the electric buzzer to let the others know his presence. It was Kana's instruction to him. Before Takumi greeted him like that, though, Tezuka saw him sitting on a bench beneath a huge sakura tree and appeared to be in deep thoughts, cotemplating about… something._

_Tezuka just gave a small smile as a response to that and proceeded to the bench where Takumi was sitting at. As soon as he put down his black tennis bag to the ground, he stood just a few feet away from Takumi. He was about to ask Takumi about his objective of bringing him to that place when the red head beat him to it—and in a serious tone of voice at that, which was something he knew he had never heard from the young man before. Of course, it was a given that he was surprised at that. But he chose not to show it._

"_I'm really sorry… for suddenly asking you to come here. But for today, I don't want us to converse when only tennis is involved. For once, we need to talk man to man. You're up for that?"_

_Now it was for certain that Tezuka didn't know how to answer that. But basing it on Takumi's facial expression, he could tell that the red head was dead serious about having that "man to man coversation" with him. A conversation with no tennis involved in any way._

_It would be the first time something like that would happen. And the bespectacled 6th grader was pretty sure that it wouldn't be a useless talk at all._

_Takumi beckoned him to sit on the bench. Without a word, the boy complied. For a few seconds or so, no words came out of Takumi or Tezuka's mouths. It was like they were waiting for either one of them to speak up. And Takumi—for the sake of getting some memorable amusement just before he leave Japan to head out to America—decided to drop the bomb._

"_Tezuka-kun, do you like Kazu-chan?" Takumi asked rather bluntly._

_The solemnity in Takumi's voice made the boy immediately realized the question was actually meant for him. And it didn't actually take a while for the thought of the question to register in his mind. As the red-headed teenager had expected, he was amused at the boy's reaction to his question. Tezuka's eyes widened before he knew it and before he faced Kazumi in sheer surprise._

"_W-why are you asking me such a question, Shinjou-san?" were the words that the boy could ask in slight frantic which only earned him a good and amused laugh from the said person. But before Tezuka could respond to that, he froze—not because of fear or anything similar but because of something else._

_Something that would make his body instinctively responds to it as soon as it happened. Because of that, he didn't catch eve a single glimpse of Takumi smiling knowingly and gently as it all started._

_Tezuka could already tell who was playing the piano at that moment. The emotions that went through eachnotes being played by those skillful fingers was something that he could instantly feel. Kazumi was eloquently playing the piano with so much passion and love, as if it would make her sad or cry if she has stopped playing it. But he noticed something from the piece she was currently playing._

_It was deep, emotional, sad… and also familiar to him. It wasn't the usual Mozart or Chopin piece like what she played. This time, it was—_

"Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata…_ This is Kazumi-chan's most favorite piece of all the music pieces she wanted to play in that piano…" Takumi started which Tezuka still managed to hear. "…since it was the piece she said that she wanted to play on the day she will confess to the man that her heart chose to be with."_

_A pang of disappoinment (for some weird reason) and pain pounced in his chest as soon as he heard the words "confess" and "her heart chose to be with" that he couldn't explain why it was happening. For heaven's sake, he wasn't supposed to feel this way. He wasn't supposed to… AT ALL! But then, how come his heart was still beating so loudly as if he was… anticipating a word…_

…_an event…_

…_the truth…_

_He wanted to hear all of that… whatever it might be._

"_What about you, Tezuka-kun? How would you like to confess to Kazu-chan when you finally had the chance and the chance to do so?" Takumi asked with the intention of breaking the silence between them which was caused by Kazumi playing Moonlight Sonata's first movement._

_Without looking at the older red-haired teenager, he spoke as nonchalantly as he could muster. But he did so in a way that it made it even more amusing for Takumi. "How are you even sure that it's Kazu-chan that I like and not someone else?" It was a brave attempt on his part to ask such a question. But he wanted to know the truth._

"_I can already see the answer to your question, Tezuka-kun. You just don't realize that you're already showing it. All this time, you've been oblivious to that fact," Takumi answered seriously. "I want you to realize that for yourself but I guess it would take you longer to do such a thing. Every time you hear the tune played on the piano at the second floor of the memorial hall, you would always be left in a daze with a gentle smile on your face. It was the kind of smile you rarely show to others around you, even to me. The music played on that piano somewhat gave you inspiration to continue striving forward towards the dream that you've aimed for. Kazumi-chan knew that those music inspires you in so many ways, that's why she keeps on playing them whenever she would see you play at the tennis courts at the back of the memorial hall. She wanted to reach out to you in one of the many ways which only you could understand. Everything about Kazumi-chan right now made you feel something towards her—one that you've never felt for someone else ever since."_

_Tezuka didn't say another word after hearing all that. He couldn't believe Takumi saw through him like that. He thought he had successfully managed to hide his emotions when it comes to Kazumi. But just like everything else in the world, every secret will be revealed in time. Yet this was one secret that he thought was revealed way too soon._

_Though everything else seemed to be a bit unclear to the boy, he now knew one thing. It was a realization that hit him as he continued to listen to Moonlight Sonata—now on its second movement—along with deep contemplation on Takumi's words._

_Only one answer came out._

_Yes, he was in love—not just like—to his best friend._

_He was in love with Hondou Kazumi._

_Just like the moon that shines in the night, illuminating even the darkest of paths, Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata became the light that made the shadows in his heart disappear with concerns to what he truly felt for that girl. That music piece became a way to help him realize that answer._

"_I guess you're right… I'm in love with her…"_

**_End of flashback…_**

**-x-x-**

Remembering that memory had made Tezuka realized that it was indeed that place which Kazumi could run to whenever she was confused, hurt or scared, besides the memorial hall. He took the train as fast as he could. Good thing his train ticket was in her wallet that was only in his pocket.

As soon as he entered the train and sat, he exhaled deeply knowing the distance he ran from school to that station. It was a long run in his perception. But he didn't care. All that he cared about was to reach Haido City's fifth district as soon as he could. After making sure he was done resting and catching his breath, he took out his cellphone from his other pocket.

Notices about unread text messages and missed calls were glaring at him as soon as he opened his cellphone. He could only heaved another heavy sigh before starting to read 27 unread text messages one by one. Most of the text messages belonged from friends—Oishi, Kawamura, Inui, Eiji and Fuji—who kept on asking where he was and what in the world was going on. It was an obvious sight that they were worried for him. But he chose not to reply to any of it just yet. As for the other text messages, some of it belonged to Hanako, Aika, Miyako and Kana who were saying that if he found out where Kazumi was, he immediately report it to them. Besides that, the girls were telling him to be careful, as well. He couldn't help smiling at that—although he could only do so inwardly.

But there was one text message that was made internationally which caught his interest. In fact, the cellphone number where that text message was made didn't belong to any possible registered cellphone numbers in Japan. It was from America. Good thing it was saved in his list of contacts.

**_I learned from someone about you finally having a girlfriend. Is it true? I want to hear it straight from you. So if you really did have a girlfriend, congratulations! Tell me more about it in details if you have time, okay? Take care. If you have something that worries you about your relationship or maybe anything under the sun, you can give me a call. I know you're someone who would rather keep things to yourself. But talking about it to someone wouldn't actually hurt you. You can give me a call right after reading this message. I don't have school tomorrow, anyway._**

**_Kourin :)_**

His eyes softened as he saw the name of the sender of that message. He didn't dare try to know where could that girl have possibly got the news about his relationship with Kazumi.

And how timely, he thought. He really did have a lot to talk about and right now, like what Kourin said, talking about it to someone wouldn't hurt him. In fact, that girl was a good listener. He had already seen a proof of that before she and her adopted brother went to America a few months back.

Her offer was pretty tempting, anyway.

With that, he looked for her number on his list of contacts and pressed the Call button. He placed the phone to his ears and waited for the other person to answer it as it rang. After a few seconds or so, someone did pick it up.

"Hello?" came a greeting from the other line.

He frowned upon hearing a girl's still wide awake voice. If he wasn't mistaken, it should still be night time to where she was. "Kourin, this is Tezuka. Sorry for calling you at this hour. Did I disturb you?"

"Nope, you didn't," the girl assured. "I'm still wide awake because of the new historical fiction and mystery novel that I'm both reading, anyway. The story's actually exciting and I don't usually stop reading books like these until I finished reading them. So it's okay. I guess you just read my message I sent you, right?"

"Ah. Thanks for that, by the way," came his placid reply.

But what soon came next was something he had not expected to hear from Kourin.

"Are you alright, Tezuka-_san_? You seemed troubled. Is there something that's bothering you?" the girl asked in an obviously concerned tone. This was one reason why it was easy for him to talk to her. But come to think of it…

"How did you know that?" was his question long before he realized that he had asked that.

"In your tone of voice," Kourin simply answered, as if it was an obvious fact already. "You must have forgotten, but my sense of hearing is a lot sharper than you think. No matter how much you tried to hide it by showing a stoic and nonchalant look, your voice sometimes betray you. And I bet Fuji-_san_ and the others aren't with you right now."

Tezuka raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"So… that meas you're alone—the only time you can show your emotions without them barging in and bothering you with questions with regards to that. Though you might not be aware of it, it's the only time you unconsciously loosed that barrier that surrounded your heart all the time. Of course, you can tell me if I'm wrong."

Several moments of silence passed by. But it was the kind of silence he needed at that point. Somehow, he had the strong feeling Kourin knew that. And he knew she understood that, as well.

"Kourin…" he called out, breaking the minute long silence.

"Something happened, right?"

Heaving a sigh to calm his heart beating erractically for some reason, he let the words flow out of his mouth. He told his friend everything that was going on, even those issues that bothered him. And by doing that, the girl listened to his every word.

"_Ne_, Tezuka-_san_, would it be okay if I say something about that?"

He thought about it for a few seconds."If it would help."

"Okay…"

**-x-x-**

Tezuka finally reached his destination after a few more minutes of riding the train and walking (or striding would have been the more accurate way to describe it) to the direction that he knew would lead him to the chateau owned by the Hondou family. Even though it wasn't the current residence of the family, they didn't totally abandon that house. After all, a lot of memories lingered there—memories that even Tezuka held on so dearly.

He was about to open the gate leading to the front garden of the chateau when he heard something. It was a little faint, but the tune was obvious and familiar. Of course, as he had expected that he would stand seemingly frozen in his spot. It appeared that the music's effect on him hadn't faded at all these years, especially upon knowing that there was only one person capable of playing it on that piano. The music was the same. It was the feelings that goes with each note of the piece. There was only one person who was capable of making his body stopped responding like that.

A smile appeared on his face. The smile that only showed itself whenever he heard that music, as Takumi once said.

Upon learning that the Moonlight Sonata currently being played was already on its second movement, he decided to finally enter the chateau itself. Besides, the music was giving him the right mood to talk to the one who was playing the piano at the moment. He had no idea what to talk about, but at the very least, he had to apologize for hurting Kazumi… among others.

He continued to walk after a middle-aged woman who was also the caretaker of the memorial hall allowed him to enter while giggling for some reasons. It looked like she wasn't surprised to see him there.

"Kazumi-_sama_'s upstairs, last room to the left. I guess she really needs you right now, of all times. She'd been playing the piano while crying for two hours now."

Of course, it alarmed him to a certain point. Just imagining what the woman said was already enough to feel something clenched his heart tightly. What more if he had seen it for himself? After thanking the woman, he proceeded to the stairs leading to the chateau's second floor. He then turned left and headed to the room at the end of the hallway. He halted to a stop upon reaching the place in which the door was slightly opened. From there, he could already see Kazumi in her uniform playing the piano beautifully despite the sad aura that she was emitting (probably unconsciously).

The music was about to start with the second movement when she suddenly pressed one key hard enough, making her stop playing the music altogether. The sound it created startled him a bit, though. Of course, what happened next startled him even more when he realized that the door of that room opened fast and his brown eyes clashed with her emerald ones—now staring at him in surprise.

"K-Kunimitsu?" came a whispered and surprised question from Kazumi, as if she wanted to know whether he was real or not.

**-x-x-**

Of all things that Kazumi hated, it was the fact that some jerks were actually watching her wallow in sadness while playing the piano. But it was weird of her at that time to play Moonlight Sonata when she could have played one of Chopin's Nocturnes or even any of her favorite pieces by Mozart. She was thankful that playing the Moonlight Sonata did help her calm down somewhat.

But she couldn't finish playing it when she suddenly felt that someone was watching her while she played. She made it very clear to the caretaker not to disturb her (and that includes watching her) while she was busy playing the piano. Upon learning that someone was indeed watching her and who was just outside the room, she stopped playing even before she could start the third movement of the Moonlight Sonata. With fast and cat-like quiet steps, she strode towards the door and opened it in order to scold whoever was the person disturbing her.

However, what greeted her upon opening the door was something she hadn't fully expected yet she still wished for it to be true. How come Tezuka was there? How did he find out about that place?

"W-what are you doing here?" At that point, she felt like it was the most important question she could've asked to Tezuka. She didn't know why but she just felt like it. But somehow, she could feel that it was a question filled with all of the questions she wanted to ask him at the moment.

**-x-x-**

Realizing that it was just the right time to settle everything, one stride took care of closing the distance that separated them. His hand took care of pulling her close to him and embraced her tight. He heard a faint gasp from her as he did that but chose not to pay attention to it. What mattered to him at that moment was to feel her close, let her know there was nothing for her to be afraid of.

And it appeared that Kazumi got the message from doing such abrupt action. But it was his tight embrace that made her know what Tezuka really wanted to convey through it. She had no idea why he went there and was actually embracing her all of a sudden, but she liked it. She liked being enveloped in those strong arms that gave her so much warmth she wanted to feel from his all her life. At that thought, her tears fell without a care about everything.

_**Well, here we are again**_

_**I guess it must be fate**_

_**We've tried it on our own**_

_**But deep inside we've known**_

_**We'd be back to set thing straight**_

"Seriously, Kunimitsu. What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at school?" she asked as she shifted to have a good look at his face.

"School can wait. But I know you can't, especially when you're out here crying and letting you think I won't listen to you. I can't wait there studying and listening to the teacher's rantings about other students' incompetence when I should be settling some issues with you. I just can't, okay? I need to make sure you're okay… that you're not going anywhere. That you're not going to leave me again. I don't want to lose you again like that, like what had happened more than two years ago. I'll stay with you like this if that would ease your fear of losing me in any way at all. You're not going to lose me if you will promise me that I won't lose you again," Tezuka said it all in one go without breaking his gaze at her.

Of course, it was a surprise to Kazumi to hear him talk like that all at once. Just what had happened for him to be like this?

But all in all, she could sense it—his assurance that she would never lose him if she did the same thing was true. Honest, no pretenses. No matter how taciturn, stoic, nonchalant, expressionless (though she might have to disagree for a bit on that last one) or any other words synonymonous to that, the truth in each of his words would always linger in his voice.

And that was one of the traits she loved the most from him. It was also a reason why she chose to hide a few truths from him rather than create a lie about it. She could never lie to him at all.

_**I still remember when**_

_**Your kiss was so brand new**_

_**Every memory repeats**_

_**Every step I take retreats**_

_**Every journey always brings me back to you**_

"You're really… that scared of losing me, as well?" she uttered despite the surpriseshe felt about Tezuka's little outburst.

Having him say something that was longer than the usual length of words he was saying, it was already considered an outburst for her. Not to mention, it was also a little unusual.

Tezuka embraced her tight once more and whispered past her ear. "You have no idea how much. I won't let you get out of my sight again… whatever happens. I'll never let you go. I want you to remember at least that, okay?

Her tears incessantly fell upon hearing those words of promise from him. She wanted her tears to stop but it wouldn't abide to her wish. Even still, she returned his embrace to the same degree.

"I thought I'll lose you again… when you didn't want to talk to me and listen to my explanation this morning. I was so scared that you're starting to push me away from you because of that photo," she admitted in between tears.

Her body quivered ash she buried her face to his chest and embraced him eve tighter.

_**After all the stops and starts**_

_**We keep coming back to these two hearts**_

_**Two angels who'd been rescued from the fall**_

_**After all that we've been through**_

_**It all comes back to me and you**_

_**I guess it's meant to be**_

_**Forever you and me after all**_

"You don't have to worry about anything now, Kazumi. I promise, you'll never lose me," Tezuka assured to the best of his abilities. After all, it was a promise—or even more, a pledge he had no intention of breaking at all.

"Thank you…" was all she could utter in overflowing gladness and relief. "So I presume you heard the music piece I was playing a while back before you came here and sneak up on me." It was a statement rather than a question.

He smiled before he distanced himself from her for a bit and looked at her intently. It was the kind of smile that only Kazumi could bring out of him. Even when she was playing the piano or whenever she was near him, his rare sweet and gentle smile would always belong to her.

"But I thought that song was meant for the man you want to confess your feelings to."

"It was, but since you're not here—Wait! How did you know it was for confession?" She hadn't told about that to anyone except to Kana and… Takumi.

_Now wait just a freaking minute! Don't tell me—_

"I have my own sources of knowing something like that… even though I have no idea who are you going to dedicate it to before," Tezuka said before she could even form a conclusion in her head.

_**When love is truly right**_

_**(When love is truly right)**_

_**It lives from year to year**_

_**It changes as it goes**_

_**Oh, and on the way it grows**_

_**But it never disappears**_

Kazumi looked at Tezuka who was still looking at her intently despite the hesitation and fear swirling in those brown eyes of his.

"You mean, you have no idea that it was meant for you all this time?"

"How would I know that at the time if you're not even saying anything to me? I have no idea how to tell you what I really feel for you that time. Even before, I was already afraid of losing you if I told you the truth that confused me all along. I've never felt like this to anyone else. Only to you. So don't look at me like that and ask such incredulous questios as if I'm some sort of experimental specimen to you."

"That's because you're actually saying much more than what you could have said your whole life," she stated with an amused smile on her lips.

Tezuka eyed her with a slightly surprised look on her face. His cheeks had faint tints of pink as he continued to see contentment dancing in those beautiful emerald eyes of hers—along with the love that he would never mistake for anything else.

The love he now knew would always be meant for him alone.

_**After all the stops and starts**_

_**We keep coming back to these two hearts**_

_**Two angels who'd been rescued from the fall**_

_**After all that we've been through**_

_**It all comes back to me and you**_

_**I guess it's meant to be**_

_**Forever you and me after all**_

But the answer that Kazumi got from her statement was something that was somehow unexpected and yet she considered more than enough. He pressed his lips against hers, kissing her with so much love and passion that he could only show to the woman he loved that much. No one else.

How he loved that feeling…

"_Sometimes, you also need to assure her that you love her not just in words, but in actions as well. You need to balance both if you're really serious about her," Kourin said on the other line._

"_But what if it wasn't enough?" Tezuka asked, unsure. He knew his voice was already stating that and he couldn't hide it from her anymore. This girl would understand, though, and he knew that._

"_You mean what if you fail to show it all through that? Then you just have to show it all over again, but show it from your heart. Let her know that you mean it. From what I can see and basing it from what you told me, Oshitari-san was right. For someone who had lost the one they love once, it's natural to feel afraid. Uncertainties do exist in such events. What matters is that you forgave each other for all the hurt that your decisions had inflicted on both of you a long time ago. Just treasure this second chance given to you to its fullest. You might not be given a third chance if you fail this one again. If it's you, Tezuka-san, you'll be able to show it to her. After all, she had been loving you to this extent and probably much more. And I guess same goes for you, too…"_

_He was quiet for a few seconds after that. From the way Kourin said it, it appeared that she was so sure of it. She believed in him, that he could love Kazumi much more than what he could show to her then and now._

_With a small smile on his face, he whispered loud enough for Kourin to hear. "Thank you… for listening to me, Kourin."_

"_It's the least I can do for you, Tezuka-san. Tell me the result as soon as it's settled. Your secret is safe with me. Don't worry…"_

The courage and the second chance that he didn't want to let go no matter what somehow all piled up and became his driving force to do all that to Kazumi. Kourin was right. He has to show to show it to this brunette in his arms and tell it to her while he has the chance. He has to show it to her now and risk it.

The kiss ended with both of them almost breathless. But the smiles on their faces after that were something that was enough to let each other know the words they couldn't say to each other. Sometimes, being with each other like that made them feel that all was enough. They had each other now, just right after she played the Moonlight Sonata (even though it was not finished because of the distraction)—the song that she wanted to let the one she loved so much to hear as a part of her confession.

Only Tezuka was meant to know all that. The love that she has in her heart was meant for him and no one else. At least, that was what she wanted to believe. A belief that she would never allow to falter at all. She'd hold on to it no matter what.

_**Always just beyond my touch**_

_**You know I needed you much**_

_**After all, what else is living for?**_

"Thank you, Kunimitsu," Kazumi said sincerely after a few moments of silence that they had just stared at each other.

He frowned at that even though he half-expected it to come out of her mouth. "Whatever for?"

"For giving me this chance to be happy again. For giving me the assurance that I will feel this wonderful feeling for a long time. For fading away my fears of losing you again. I want to say thank you for a lot of things that I'm happy about right now because of you. It's just that I don't know how to put it all in just a few words. Or maybe a few words wasn't really enough, after all."

Tezuka lifted his one hand and caressed her cheek while his fingers went through her hair that she let lose just after she arrived at that chateau.

"Just stay with me. Never leave me. Then it will be enough as a thanks from you," he said with the gentlest expression he had ever shown to her.

Her smile widened but maintained its gratefulness and gentleness, as well. "Then I guess I'll be in your care from now on. Because even if you push me away, I'll never ever leave you side. I love you so much, Kunimitsu."

"You don't call me Kuu anymore," he commented.

"The same way you're not calling me Kazu-_chan_ anymore, as well. But I guess it's better that way. Besides, we're in high school now. First name basis between us wouldn't actually matter that much. Though I have to admit, I feel bad for your fangirls. You might lose them once they learned that you're not going to let me go."

"I don't care if I lose them… as long as I don't lose you in the process. You're the person that matters to me this much, Kazumi."

_**After all the stops and starts**_

_**We keep coming back to these two hearts**_

_**Two angels who'd been rescued from the fall**_

_**After all that we've been through**_

_**It all comes back to me and you**_

_**I guess it's meant to be**_

_**Forever you and me**_

_**After all…**_

At that moment, all that had made her afraid and unsure of Tezuka's feelings for her suddenly vanished. Now she knew she has no reason to feel such negative emotions. After all, Tezuka belonged to her—no matter how possessive it might have sounded.

"I'll always love you, Kazumi. Never doubt that, okay?"

"Okay."

And that confirmation was sealed with another sweet kiss. As it happened, Tezuka made a mental note to call Kourin the next day and tell her the full story, just like what she had asked of him. That girl deserved at least that information, anyway. And probably much more.

**-x-x-**

"Hello?"

"Oshitari-_san_!" Kourin immediately recognized the voice on the other line and greeted him with a smile even though he couldn't see it. "I guess it's successful, huh? About Tezuka-_san_ and Hondou-_san_…"

"You're right. This Tezuka is definitely a shock to me. Not once have I imagined him to love someone this much. And to think he would actually love someone important to me, as well."

"You're being mean, Oshitari-_san_. Everyone deserves to experience a love like that. We're just having a bit of a trouble handling it. Well, I guess romance doesn't exactly give you this kind of predicament."

Oshitari started walking away from the chateau. He heard the Moonlight Sonata being played again before he left. But the mood of the song as he heard it was now different. And he knew the reason for that difference.

"You know, I'm kind of thinking… It's about time you find yourself a girlfriend. That could be a much better way to piss off Atobe-_san_ even more."

"It'll be a long way before something like that happen, _ojou-chan_." And then his face turned serious followed by dropping to his tracks. "I still need to fulfill my promise to Kazumi more than ever. Aside from that, I have to make the person who hurt her this way pay dearly. I'm not going to easily forgive the person who spread that photo just to criticise her severely like this even without proof."

Silence fell to both of them for a few moments, serious atmosphere hovered around.

"It seems to me you know who did that, huh?"

"I just found out a while back… from someone named Julie. I heard she's Atobe's fiance from an arranged marriage. Well, let's put that aside for now. Anyway, it's easy for me to know who hurt Kazumi since the culprit was someone from Hyotei—the fact I loath the most."

"I know how you feel. But you know what, you don't have to worry about anything anymore, Oshitari-_san_. Tezuka-_san_ is with her, along with her other friends. And from what I can tell, you've already magnificently kept that promise. It'll be okay."

Oshitari looked up to the sky and watched the sakura petals being blown by the gentle wind. He smiled at that magnificent sight, especially about the sakura trees around the area now in full bloom.

The flower that symbolized new beginnings.

"I guess I have to agree with you on that."

**THE END**

**-x-x-**

**And this is the end! Seriously! But there's a continuation of this, although Kazumi and Tezuka's relationship will be most likely just a cameo of Fuji and Miyako's story. The next story in the Seasons of Chances and Love series will be entitled "Perfect Love In Summer" which is already posted.**

**The term "Haido City" and the district number was something I actually based from locations mentioned in Detective Conan, another anime that has become my favorite next to Prince of Tennis. I'm not sure if there really is a city like that in Tokyo so I used what I had seen in Detective Conan as a reference for the city name. Tokyo is where most of the cases in that anime takes place, aside from those that belonged to the prefectures of Nagano, Shizuoka, Gunma, and Kanagawa. Oh yeah, even Osaka since Hattori and Kazuha usually invites Conan and Ran to go there, only to end up stumbling in some weird cases.**

**So even though this is already the end, I still want you to leave a review for me to know what you think. Please…? And also support my other stories. Read and review on them if you have time. **


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